2020 Jalen Suggs: Verbal Commit on 1/3/20

[caldwellzag]

Where Dom Harris at?

He might have the highest long term ceiling of them all...

He will play just won't start in 2020. Dom got this whole thing rolling by committing but even Dom knows I'm playing time is earned so he will compete for his playing time just like everyone else.

[caldwellzag]

Recruiting changed slightly at GU when we brought Powell on board, we can pick him to replace Donny for a reason

[LTownZag]

That 2020/2021 lineup looks like a young NBA team. Could run an entire rotation of future NBA players. Talent level is unreal.

Winning a championship or even making the title game doesn't require top NBA level talent and isn't guaranteed by having future NBA guys. I'm not saying it hurts, but it's no magic bullet. Zach Collins, at #10 in the 2017 draft, is the highest-drafted player to play in any title game from 2016-2018. (this year both squads likely have a guy to be picked 5-10th, but of course VA easily could have lost to Purdue or Auburn, and TTech easily could have lost to GU or MSU).

Even a team full of future NBA guys simply doesn't come anywhere close to a "guarantee" of a final 4, let alone a championship. See every Duke and UK team in the past decade for evidence. Many elite college basketball TEAMS do not have NBA star power. I just don't want to see disappointment arise from the idea that finally recruiting for a year or two like how Duke/UK/Kansas/UCLA/Arizona have done for many years will guarantee any march madness outcome.

Assuming this recruiting, or anything like it, actually happens, it sure would be great to see a core group stick around for more than a single year in the northwest.

I'm not sure I'm ready to be the fan of a team that has major annual turnover of it's core guys.

[tyra]

In all the years I’ve viewed highlight tapes, I’ve never watched one that had me as excited about a player as Mr Suggs. Please dear God, please!

[ZagBlue]

I can't promise that my info says we are in a good spot with them and it's not one or the other. Suggs will be a Zag unless something catastrophic happens, other two we are in good on. Things are in okay hope they work out.

To echo Caldwell here: I too am comfortable saying (take it for what you deem it worth) that we are in a really good spot with Suggs. Nix is in play as well. Regarding the “other” 2020 recruits, it does make sense to keep and eye on Burnett simply because Powell is now at Gonzaga. Burnett has a long list so.... yes we are in good there but I think he is the least likely of our main 2020 targets (although we still have a solid shot with him). After Suggs and Nix, I would keep my eye on Kessler. He is a top 15 recruit that we are very strong with.

[zagsfanforlife]

To echo Caldwell here: I too am comfortable saying (take it for what you deem it worth) that we are in a really good spot with Suggs. Nix is in play as well. Regarding the “other” 2020 recruits, it does make sense to keep and eye on Burnett simply because Powell is now at Gonzaga. Burnett has a long list so.... yes we are in good there but I think he is the least likely of our main 2020 targets (although we still have a solid shot with him). After Suggs and Nix, I would keep my eye on Kessler. He is a top 15 recruit that we are very strong with.

So is Nix 2019 or 2020???

[willandi]

So is Nix 2019 or 2020???

Yes.


















Wasn't there a thread about him reclassifying?

[CDC84]

Winning a championship or even making the title game doesn't require top NBA level talent and isn't guaranteed by having future NBA guys. I'm not saying it hurts, but it's no magic bullet. Zach Collins, at #10 in the 2017 draft, is the highest-drafted player to play in any title game from 2016-2018. (this year both squads likely have a guy to be picked 5-10th, but of course VA easily could have lost to Purdue or Auburn, and TTech easily could have lost to GU or MSU).

Even a team full of future NBA guys simply doesn't come anywhere close to a "guarantee" of a final 4, let alone a championship. See every Duke and UK team in the past decade for evidence. Many elite college basketball TEAMS do not have NBA star power. I just don't want to see disappointment arise from the idea that finally recruiting for a year or two like how Duke/UK/Kansas/UCLA/Arizona have done for many years will guarantee any march madness outcome.

Assuming this recruiting, or anything like it, actually happens, it sure would be great to see a core group stick around for more than a single year in the northwest.

I'm not sure I'm ready to be the fan of a team that has major annual turnover of it's core guys.

I think the way to do it properly is to combine a core group of vets (some sophomores, some seniors) with one or two lottery or close to lottery picks. Some of the vets evolve into NBA guys, others don't, but become great college players like Karnowski. I am not saying that following the path of UNC/Kansas/Villanova is the way to go, but I am more comfortable with that than just having a bunch of freshmen and a couple of sophs out there.

But make no mistake about it......Few did say, even after UVA won the title, that having NBA talent gives you the best chance to win the whole ball of wax. But even if Gonzaga could recruit the amount of McDonald's AA freshmen that Calipari is able to, I don't think that is Few's blueprint for building a great team.

I always remember that great 2005 UNC team whose most gifted player was Marvin Williams, a non-starter. Williams may have not been a starter, but no one on that team made bigger plays in bigger games. But you can also have a Carmelo surrounded by veterans if the guy is great enough. There isn't one way of doing it. The one thing that I think you must have in the modern game is a very, very, very good PG or CG. Which is why a guy like Suggs is so critical. I know some people might say, "well Virginia didn't have a great, great PG." Well, a UConn team won the title a few years ago that was possibly the least talented team to ever win the NCAA title largely due to point guard play and the interaction between its guards. Guard play is just so critical. That and versatile bigs.

[Fonebone]

In all the years I’ve viewed highlight tapes, I’ve never watched one that had me as excited about a player as Mr Suggs. Please dear God, please!

That was my thought also. When he faced up guys it looked like they really didn’t stand much of a chance of stopping him.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Zagger]

I like the sound of ‘Go Suggs!’

[ZagBlue]

So is Nix 2019 or 2020???

“yes” is the perfect answer. He is currently a 2020 recruit but I would comfortably argue that our best chance for Nix to be a Zag is to see him reclassify into 2019. If and when you see that mentioned, I believe our odds increase significantly. In an ideal world, the words “2019” and “Gonzaga” come out of Nix’s mouth at the same time for the first time. In other words, let’s hope there are not many talking with him about 2019 currently as we are. Again, he has a February birthday so I believe he cannot enter the nba draft (under current rules) until the 2021 draft. In other words, if he reclassified and is a Zag, he is ours for at least 2 seasons which is why he would be such a huge recruit for us in 2019.

[caldwellzag]

“yes” is the perfect answer. He is currently a 2020 recruit but I would comfortably argue that our best chance for Nix to be a Zag is to see him reclassify into 2019. If and when you see that mentioned, I believe our odds increase significantly. In an ideal world, the words “2019” and “Gonzaga” come out of Nix’s mouth at the same time for the first time. In other words, let’s hope there are not many talking with him about 2019 currently as we are. Again, he has a February birthday so I believe he cannot enter the nba draft (under current rules) until the 2021 draft. In other words, if he reclassified and is a Zag, he is ours for at least 2 seasons which is why he would be such a huge recruit for us in 2019.

Well stated.

[LTownZag]

I think the way to do it properly is to combine a core group of vets (some sophomores, some seniors) with one or two lottery or close to lottery picks. Some of the vets evolve into NBA guys, others don't, but become great college players like Karnowski. I am not saying that following the path of UNC/Kansas/Villanova is the way to go, but I am more comfortable with that than just having a bunch of freshmen and a couple of sophs out there.

But make no mistake about it......Few did say, even after UVA won the title, that having NBA talent gives you the best chance to win the whole ball of wax. But even if Gonzaga could recruit the amount of McDonald's AA freshmen that Calipari is able to, I don't think that is Few's blueprint for building a great team.

I always remember that great 2005 UNC team whose most gifted player was Marvin Williams, a non-starter. Williams may have not been a starter, but no one on that team made bigger plays in bigger games. But you can also have a Carmelo surrounded by veterans if the guy is great enough. There isn't one way of doing it. The one thing that I think you must have in the modern game is a very, very, very good PG or CG. Which is why a guy like Suggs is so critical. I know some people might say, "well Virginia didn't have a great, great PG." Well, a UConn team won the title a few years ago that was possibly the least talented team to ever win the NCAA title largely due to point guard play and the interaction between its guards. Guard play is just so critical. That and versatile bigs.

Thanks!

I'm not much of an NBA fan - do you think that in college bball the guards are proportionally more impactful than NBA? If so, is it something about the guards being more advanced at age 18/19/20, and the bigs not quite being ready and grown into their bodies/potentials as much? Or what makes that difference?

[CDC84]

Thanks!

I'm not much of an NBA fan - do you think that in college bball the guards are proportionally more impactful than NBA? If so, is it something about the guards being more advanced at age 18/19/20, and the bigs not quite being ready and grown into their bodies/potentials as much? Or what makes that difference?

If you talk with most college coaches, they will tell you that guards, generally speaking, are further up the maturity scale (in all areas) than most big men when they enter D1 college basketball. This is one of the many reasons why I feel Gonzaga chooses to go the international route when recruiting big guys. As Tommy says, these kids play for their national teams and are constantly playing and practicing against great players. They are also playing in games in 10,000 seat arenas in front of audiences who are really rooting for teams. There is more of a team first mentality, which does not mean you cannot find this in American big men. Drew Timme is D1 ready right now, physically, mentally and skill wise, for instance.

But yes, in essence, it takes big men longer to develop, whereas a great guard or a pack of great guards (say a lottery pick, a back end first rounder after 3 years, and a great college player) are more ready. Gonzaga runs some complicated stuff on offense, but Few can always adjust to what he has. Sometimes it just comes down to trusting the improvisational skills of your guards.

A future Suggs/Harris/Ravet backcourt with all that other talent sounds like a fine idea to me. With Suggs you have the immediate, special talent. A guy who Evan Daniels says has no apparent weaknesses to his game. You have Harris, who with college experience, could have the highest upside of them all. And with Ravet, you have a guy that may never be a NBA guy, but an extremely valuable veteran with a killer jumper.

Of course the staff might also add the SDSU transfer Jenkins as well (another elite, college level shooter - would need to sit a year). I am really interested to see if Nix reclassifies. If he did reclassify, and GU managed to snag him, wow, Nix and Gilder would be awesome. The stud freshman PG and a big time graduate transfer.

[zagfan1970]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOfiNYXLhDo

Interesting when Suggs team gets destroyed by Washington Supreme and none other than Brock Ravet doing the damage. 72-45

[Zagceo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOfiNYXLhDo

Interesting when Suggs team gets destroyed by Washington Supreme and none other than Brock Ravet doing the damage. 72-45

disrespectful to post that on a Suggs thread imo.

[jazzdelmar]

disrespectful to post that on a Suggs thread imo.

Worse. Dumb and provincial.

[zagfan1970]

disrespectful to post that on a Suggs thread imo.

well I was watching a JALEN SUGGS video when I noticed who they were playing. I suppose I should have posted it under the Brock Ravet thread? I don't take it as a knock on Suggs rather than a pat on Brock's back. I didn't realize it was disrespectful nor did I realize we were only allowed to post glorifying content.

[zagfan1970]

Worse. Dumb and provincial.

wow. getting called dumb by Jazz is like getting called ugly by Anne Ramsey

[jazzdelmar]

It's a Suggs documentary, no biggie. We don't have to choose between the two, they're both great. Suggs is a star and it was great to see Ravet light up his team, that just lends proof that he can play with the big boys. Let's cheer for both, not pick sides.

Spy, Nobel peace prize candidate?

[zagfan1970]

It's a Suggs documentary, no biggie. We don't have to choose between the two, they're both great. Suggs is a star and it was great to see Ravet light up his team, that just lends proof that he can play with the big boys. Let's cheer for both, not pick sides.

[sittingon50]

I had to look up Anne Ramsey.


Looks like she already reclassified.


Kinda' partial to Camilla Parker-Bowles myself.

[jazzdelmar]

I had to look up Anne Ramsey.


Looks like she already reclassified.


Kinda' partial to Camilla Parker-Bowles myself.

I’d be ok with Anne Archer. Even Anne Hathaway.

[sittingon50]

But we digress.

[Zagceo]

Bye Bye Birdie....Anne