Brandon Williams

[cggonzaga]

I like our chances, I just wish Mom had made the trip. No doubt his stepfather was impressed...I hesitate to use the word, "sold". You get the parents on campus, it adds another dimension, there's just that magic that exists at 509 Boone Ave.

Why are you assuming Mom wasn’t there? Article referred to whole family.

[Reborn]

I know exactly what you mean by that magic. Every time I go back to GU feel it. It's a very strong spiritual feeling while walking around the campus with either my sons or grandsons. And then you read the inscription on the wall of the news Student Union Bldg. Wow! And then you run into a few students and they look at you and get eye contact and then smile and say hi to you as if they know you.....It's just incredible.

I am blessed to be a part of this great University.

Go Zags!!!

[Reborn]

Regarding Brandon Williams. I think back to the last great point guard that Mark Few went after, Josh Perkins. I remember the recruiting wars well. I followed them closely at the time. I didn't think Gonzaga had a good chance to get him at the time, but when He signed with us, I felt about as high as I ever have regarding recruiting someone. The same feeling for Wiltjer but in a much different way. And look what has happened to Josh firts. I Final 4, an Elite 8 and a Sweet 16. And he played in a National Championship game. And he will now lead perhaps the best Gonzaga team of All-time. And Brandon can be a part of making this the best team ever. And he is just a freshman. The door is waiting for you Brandon. It's open. Just walk through it and you will suddenly begin a GREAT journey. As the dog in the Nike commercial once said, "Just do it!"

Go Zags!!!

[Reborn]

Let's not forget that Greg Foster and Filip Petrusev will also be here

[ZagnetitForce]

Everyone once in awhile I have to pinch myself and think back on how far this program has come. We are 20 years into this run and Gonzaga and has built itself into a national powerhouse that can honestly tout the family atmosphere and Zag identity but now also has the facilities, staff, schedule, history and budget to compete head-to-head with programs like Arizona and Oregon.

I can't wait to see what the next 20 years will bring, but I suspect it will include a couple of national titles. Now I just hope that Williams will be part of the first.

He wrote this below his latest Instagram post (same as twitter):

thebwill2May 5th @ballislife ... A real decision is measured by the fact that you've taken a new action. If there's no action, you haven't truly decided.

Is that the same as...."if you choose not to decide you still have made a choice"?

[Zagger]

Goodness, if that doesn’t convince the young man then god bless him. Just makes me prouder than ever to hear that testimony from BW’s dad. No spin there. It’s from the heart. Congrats to MF and the GU BB community for rolling out the carpet so transparently. If he comes, great. If not, so be it. In my mind GU already had its finest hour.

Well, I still have a couple more pages of posts to read but thought I'd give a BIG thumbs up to you Jazz for this post Hits the nail on the head for me. GU is a class act. Not that other schools are not as well. I sure hope more are than I tend to think there are. If that is the case I feel for the families that have to make choices like the Williams family will be making. I'd hate to end up in a situation where I felt I'd made a lesser choice on down the road. I really admire how GU/Few/Tommy, etc. go about things - not forgetting the guys on the team too. Special bunch all around!

[webspinnre]

If he chooses Oregon or Zona... please people... don't come on here and say he was never Zag material.

He is and the Zags pulled out all the stops. From what I read out of that article... If anything, GU may have a really good shot at him and they possibly swayed an existing P12 lean to an honest to goodness really tough decision/GU lean.

1000 times this. So tired of seeing this regarding some recruits.

[zagdontzig]

1000 times this. So tired of seeing this regarding some recruits.

I don’t see the problem with concluding he’s not Zag material if he commits elsewhere. That’s not saying he is talented enough, but when we sell him on system and development, and the other teams sell him on women, weather, and playing with his boys, if he picks the latter, then he’s not Zags material.

[webspinnre]

I don’t see the problem with concluding he’s not Zag material if he commits elsewhere. That’s not saying he is talented enough, but when we sell him on system and development, and the other teams sell him on women, weather, and playing with his boys, if he picks the latter, then he’s not Zags material.

Given that we don't know what he's been sold on at other places, and knowing that there are other quality universities besides our own, it seems awfully presumptuous of us to conclude that a recruit isn't "Zag material" simply because he chooses another university without actually knowing the reasons for his choice.

[zagdontzig]

Given that we don't know what he's been sold on at other places, and knowing that there are other quality universities besides our own, it seems awfully presumptuous of us to conclude that a recruit isn't "Zag material" simply because he chooses another university without actually knowing the reasons for his choice.

Read the articles from Oregon’s and Arizona’s own sources, and there’s plenty to see about how Altman and Miller sold the school, not to mention his own step father’s comments. Would it stand in court? No, but there’s plenty enough information to surmise what the programs’ Various pitches were.

[23dpg]

I don’t see the problem with concluding he’s not Zag material if he commits elsewhere. That’s not saying he is talented enough, but when we sell him on system and development, and the other teams sell him on women, weather, and playing with his boys, if he picks the latter, then he’s not Zags material.

That’s a terrible assumption to make. I’m going to guess that you have no idea what the recruiting process entails. These young men and women get courted at each school When they go on these visits. It’s a tough decision to make.
If he chooses Arizona, maybe because he feels loyal to the school he first committed to?
If he chooses Oregon, maybe it’s because he has friends on the team?
Maybe it’s academics? Or basketball future? Or proximity to home? Or dozens of other things?

Coach Few and his staff and players have already designated this kid as “Zag material” by wanting him at Gonzaga. Fact!

[2wiceright]

Given that we don't know what he's been sold on at other places, and knowing that there are other quality universities besides our own, it seems awfully presumptuous of us to conclude that a recruit isn't "Zag material" simply because he chooses another university without actually knowing the reasons for his choice.

Couldn't have said it better, webspinnre!!! Thanks..

[zagdontzig]

That’s a terrible assumption to make. I’m going to guess that you have no idea what the recruiting process entails. These young men and women get courted at each school When they go on these visits. It’s a tough decision to make.
If he chooses Arizona, maybe because he feels loyal to the school he first committed to?
If he chooses Oregon, maybe it’s because he has friends on the team?
Maybe it’s academics? Or basketball future? Or proximity to home? Or dozens of other things?

Coach Few and his staff and players have already designated this kid as “Zag material” by wanting him at Gonzaga. Fact!

Was Taeshon Cherry designated Zag material because Few pursued him? Because he sure picked the flavor of the month, both times picking schools with no discernible system, and with great weather and coeds.

Feels to me Few’s recruiting process is more putting the team out on the table and letting the recruit decide if he wants to buy into a challenging but rewarding system.

[webspinnre]

So, basically any recruit that we offer that doesn't choose us isn't "Zag material"? That's ridiculous, given the number of offers we give out, relative to the number who end up committing.

[zagdontzig]

So, basically any recruit that we offer that doesn't choose us isn't "Zag material"? That's ridiculous, given the number of offers we give out, relative to the number who end up committing.

Well, yes. It is a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

We can all agree on this; we all hope Brandon Williams commits to Gonzaga. And it’s late. And a week night. Rest well and Go Zags.

[Robzagnut]

Is that the same as...."if you choose not to decide you still have made a choice"?

"You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill. I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose freewill."

BW sounds like a steady young man. No rash decisions. Think things through. Kind of young man you want as your point guard running your offense.

[maynard g krebs]

other teams sell him on women, weather, and playing with his boys.

That's just inane. All 3 are trying to sell him the same thing. That is that they are the best place to develop his basketball skills (and mentality) to prepare for a pro career.

The Zags have the best chance of making a deep run next year, and that gives him the best chance to showcase himself in March. The Ducks will feature a lot of youth in key roles, and have a high upside but it's a much iffier deal as to how good they'll wind up being. You don't know what freshmen will do till they do it. But it's also a fact that while the Zags have put a lot of their recent bigs in the NBA, the Ducks have perimeters Young, Brooks, and Dorsey in the NBA in the last few years. And the three stars from last yr's final 4 team came to Eugene to pitch the program on his visit.

So he has a lot to consider. He doesn't sound like a kid who will make a choice based on anything superfluous or trivial. He's gonna go where he believes is best for his game and development.

[TimberZag]

He’s a HS kid (giving me anxiety, but still) a TEENAGER. Probably nervous, needs to find the right fit! Just wants to play ball. Hoping he chooses us but with or without him we will make a run. Hoping he chooses us, but if not? His loss. I’m sure if he doesn’t choose to be a Zag, he will regret it come tournament time.

[soccerdud]

That's just inane.

you're being charitable.

[raise the zag]

I like the reasons he chose Crespi High School:

https://youtu.be/oZRY42x08LE

"Academics, Brotherhood, community, life-long relationships..."

Sound familiar?

Then again, Brandon's Parents picked his HS, it will be Brandon's decision for College.

Besides the sun-less wkend, it sounds like he had a great visit. Love that we showed him the communal aspect of attending GU. As Coach Giac said, no other school compares on a "familiail" level like GU.

That said, if I'm being honest, I feel BWill re-commits to Arizona.

No one realizes how convincing a desperate Sweat Miller can be...ever heard him in post game pressors? Always want to give him a hug, victim with a side of friendly charisma.

According to Brandon's step dad Zona said need him to play 35 mpg, be the face of Arizona next season ala Ayton last year, & put the ball in his hands. Their 2018 recruiting is bleak by their standards as well, although they have a couple Top 50 PG's on the roster who didn't play last season, namely a 4 star 6'7" PG who is gunning for PT.

Anyway, it was Williams' 'childhood dream' to be a Wildcat. Tough to sway that alone...

As another poster mentioned, if this was his parents decision, Gonzaga would be a slam dunk. Same reason they chose Crespi for him.

[Birddog]

Goodness, if that doesn’t convince the young man then god bless him. Just makes me prouder than ever to hear that testimony from BW’s dad. No spin there. It’s from the heart. Congrats to MF and the GU BB community for rolling out the carpet so transparently. If he comes, great. If not, so be it. In my mind GU already had its finest hour.

Kinda stands in sharp contrast to say the way Louisville used to do it eh?

[GoZag]

I’m going out on the limb and reversing myself from my earlier belief that he was headed to Arizona amd now strongly believe he chooses Gonzaga on May 5th. Gonzaga over Arizona with Orgeron in third.

When did the LSU's football coach Ed Orgeron come into the picture

[Zaglaw]

So, basically any recruit that we offer that doesn't choose us isn't "Zag material"? That's ridiculous, given the number of offers we give out, relative to the number who end up committing.

Agree. If we buy into the concept of not being "Zag material" if one goes elsewhere, then Wiltjer wasn't Zag material. Oh, but, wait, then he was? Reality: lots of players are Zag material, but make a different choice for reasons we don't always know or understand.

[DZ]

He wrote this below his latest Instagram post (same as twitter):

thebwill2May 5th @ballislife ... A real decision is measured by the fact that you've taken a new action. If there's no action, you haven't truly decided.

I refuse to put very much meaning into a tweet or post, but I do like this message. "New action" seems less consistent with going back to Arizona, or joining his old AAU teammates at Oregon.

Or it could mean nothing at all except that he has to take action.

Regardless, given his father's comments, I'm still content, and wouldn't trade places with the other schools.

[Zag_Dad]

Agree. If we buy into the concept of not being "Zag material" if one goes elsewhere, then Wiltjer wasn't Zag material. Oh, but, wait, then he was? Reality: lots of players are Zag material, but make a different choice for reasons we don't always know or understand.

here we go ... train is leaving the tracks again. Can we talk about Brandon Williams' commitment and leave the debate on whether someone is "Zag material" for some other time where you beer can be consumed?

GO ZAGS