ESPN Article

[sittingon50]

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http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/

[Zagcity]

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http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/

You'd be hard-pressed to find a player who made a bigger leap in 2012-13 than Olynyk, who went from averaging 5.8 points as a sophomore to 17.8 points as a junior (with a redshirt year sandwiched in between). Olynyk's dominance earned him first-team All-America honors and resulted in him being selected with the No. 13 overall pick in the NBA draft.

"We had no way to prepare for this," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said.

I believe SD and PK are up to the task.

[MDABE80]

"We had no way to prepare for this," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said....right............

[ZagNative]

Good stuff.

By Jason King | ESPN.com

Saying goodbye is never easy. Especially when you're bidding farewell to a Wooden Award winner, a first-team All-American, a 20-point-per game scorer -- or perhaps even a player who turned pro before he was ready.

At some point, though, it's time to move on.

One week after the 2013 NBA draft, programs across America are adjusting to life without their stars. The transition can be particularly difficult for schools who lost the elite players, the best of the best … the lottery picks.

Here's how those teams plan to cope.

No. 13: Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga

You'd be hard-pressed to find a player who made a bigger leap in 2012-13 than Olynyk, who went from averaging 5.8 points as a sophomore to 17.8 points as a junior (with a redshirt year sandwiched in between). Olynyk's dominance earned him first-team All-America honors and resulted in him being selected with the No. 13 overall pick in the NBA draft.

"We had no way to prepare for this," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said.

Not that Few is complaining. Whether it's Blake Stepp or Ronnie Turiaf or Adam Morrison or Austin Daye, the Zags seemingly lose a star player every year, yet always find their way back into the top 25.

"The program has always been able to absorb it," Few said. "Other players always step up. It's not about filling a void or replacing a particular player. Year and in year out, your team has to take on a new identity."

The one concern for Gonzaga is that, along with losing Olynyk, the Zags also graduated leading rebounder Elias Harris, who will be remembered as one of the top post players in program history.

Luckily Gonzaga returns Sam Dower, a senior who has averaged double-digit minutes in each of his three seasons in Spokane. Dower is averaging 7.6 points for his career. Few is also excited about the potential of sophomore Przemek Karnowski, a 7-1, 305-pounder who contributed 5.4 points per game as a freshman.

"They've got a great opportunity," Few said. "They've both been waiting for this chance. They've been looking forward to it. Sam has basically been a starter anyway throughout his career. He's got an opportunity to play even more minutes. He'll have a longer leash.

"Przemek was really progressing as the season went on. It was showing more so in practice. It was hard for him to garner a lot of minutes with Kelly and Elias and Sam out there. Now it's his time to step up and shine."

I find it hard to believe Shem is still 305. He appeared to have slimmed down considerably by season's end.

[MDABE80]

Yes ZN looks much slimmer these days. I hope he's ready to go when he returns. Cupboard looks pretty bare without the big fella.

[LongIslandZagFan]

Key to that article was this line:

Przemek was really progressing as the season went on. It was showing more so in practice. It was hard for him to garner a lot of minutes with Kelly and Elias and Sam out there. Now it's his time to step up and shine."

Few doesn't throw stuff out as pick-me ups to players. Remember during Kelly's redshirt year he said multiple times that he was the best player in practice. Look what we got after that redshirt year. I trust in Few and suspect PK will make a big Frosh-Soph jump.

[thespywhozaggedme]

Yes ZN looks much slimmer these days. I hope he's ready to go when he returns. Cupboard looks pretty bare without the big fella.

ZN?

[ZagNative]

ZN?

You called?

[SLOZag]

snicker

You called?

[thespywhozaggedme]

You called?

Apparently, according to DocAbe, you've lost a lot of weight recently. Congrats. I cut back on my coffee drinks and have lost about 5lbs over the past two weeks.

[MDABE80]

Wasted broadband.............."ZN, yes Karno looks much slimmer"...........happy now Spy?

[ZagNative]

Thanks for noticing, Abe. I've been working real hard!



Now, if I can just get that damned jump shot of mine to start falling!

[sittingon50]

Judging from the video above, you appear to be much younger than what you have portrayed to all of your many cyber friends, Native.

[LongIslandZagFan]

Wasted broadband.............."ZN, yes Karno looks much slimmer"...........happy now Spy?

Lighten up Francis..

[Zippyzaggy]

Thanks for noticing, Abe. I've been working real hard!



Now, if I can just get that damned jump shot of mine to start falling!

Is it just me, or are the walls in the video trembling, and the treadmill looks ready to be installed in the lower basement post haste?