Suggs "Zags Up," Announces Gonzaga Commit. . .

[ZagNut08]

https://www.fox9.com/video/641122

Sorry if posted, extended interview...seems like such a level headed good kid.

[Zagger]

At some point this Spokanite GU grad and Zags BB fan’s enthusiasm for the team will wain if it becomes a revolving door to the pros with no graduates. Then it’s not so much of a school team as it is a pro preparatory program attached to a school for mutually beneficial financial reasons. Maybe pro teams ought to adopt universities where a player can obtain a higher salary if they earn a degree. Or, have the 2nd half of games limited to players committing to a four year degree program. All this hype and conjecture over a kid who’s yet to play a Zags game is a bit over the top (for me). Suggs sure seems like a great kid. I hope Suggs gets to play for the Zags and benefits from the experience - even if it is for a single season. However, I’m personally more excited about players who develop into pro prospects while at GU than beforehand. I personally just can’t get very excited about one and dones. Dreaming on .... if Spokane had a NBA team full of ex-Zags I could feel differently.

End of ‘rant’
Go Zags! Beat Pepperdine!

[NYCZAG]

Suggs leads to Chet and that's a sweet get.

[RenoZag]

GREAT Video. again, this is like a commercial, regardless of whatever happens, I still feel good about it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUaFWNI6oac

Thank you for posting that video link, WRHU.

[OCzag]

At some point this Spokanite GU grad and Zags BB fan’s enthusiasm for the team will wain if it becomes a revolving door to the pros with no graduates. Then it’s not so much of a school team as it is a pro preparatory program attached to a school for mutually beneficial financial reasons. Maybe pro teams ought to adopt universities where a player can obtain a higher salary if they earn a degree. Or, have the 2nd half of games limited to players committing to a four year degree program. All this hype and conjecture over a kid who’s yet to play a Zags game is a bit over the top (for me). Suggs sure seems like a great kid. I hope Suggs gets to play for the Zags and benefits from the experience - even if it is for a single season. However, I’m personally more excited about players who develop into pro prospects while at GU than beforehand. I personally just can’t get very excited about one and dones. Dreaming on .... if Spokane had a NBA team full of ex-Zags I could feel differently.

End of ‘rant’
Go Zags! Beat Pepperdine!

I understand your position and think there is something to be said about developing attachments to players who are play multiple years. However, I’m not sure GU will turn into a Kentucky or UNC in terms of one and dones and, I’m hoping, we Are a hitting a nice sweet spot where we get some Uber talented players consistently. I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that our only FF also had our only one and done - although it also contained a stable of amazing mutli year players too

Genuinely asking - do you feel that way about the 2017 team? Maybe it’s because they were the first to get to a FF, but I love all the players on that team, especially Nigel and Zach who only played one year.

[RenoZag]

At some point this Spokanite GU grad and Zags BB fan’s enthusiasm for the team will wain if it becomes a revolving door to the pros with no graduates. Then it’s not so much of a school team as it is a pro preparatory program attached to a school for mutually beneficial financial reasons. Maybe pro teams ought to adopt universities where a player can obtain a higher salary if they earn a degree. Or, have the 2nd half of games limited to players committing to a four year degree program. All this hype and conjecture over a kid who’s yet to play a Zags game is a bit over the top (for me). Suggs sure seems like a great kid. I hope Suggs gets to play for the Zags and benefits from the experience - even if it is for a single season. However, I’m personally more excited about players who develop into pro prospects while at GU than beforehand. I personally just can’t get very excited about one and dones. Dreaming on .... if Spokane had a NBA team full of ex-Zags I could feel differently.

End of ‘rant’
Go Zags! Beat Pepperdine!

Not a rant at all. Good thoughts added to the discussion.

[former1dog]

Welcome Jalen Suggs!! My hope and wish is that like a lot of us he finds that the decision to attend Gonzaga is one of the best of his life.

To the naysayers, especially those critical of Jalen directly, you should be ashamed of yourselves. He was asked a question and answered it honestly and thoughtfully.

[23dpg]

Quit virtue signaling. Nothing said here has been bad.

Calling Jalen a “con man” is not bad?

[LongIslandZagFan]

At some point this Spokanite GU grad and Zags BB fan’s enthusiasm for the team will wain if it becomes a revolving door to the pros with no graduates. Then it’s not so much of a school team as it is a pro preparatory program attached to a school for mutually beneficial financial reasons. Maybe pro teams ought to adopt universities where a player can obtain a higher salary if they earn a degree. Or, have the 2nd half of games limited to players committing to a four year degree program. All this hype and conjecture over a kid who’s yet to play a Zags game is a bit over the top (for me). Suggs sure seems like a great kid. I hope Suggs gets to play for the Zags and benefits from the experience - even if it is for a single season. However, I’m personally more excited about players who develop into pro prospects while at GU than beforehand. I personally just can’t get very excited about one and dones. Dreaming on .... if Spokane had a NBA team full of ex-Zags I could feel differently.

End of ‘rant’
Go Zags! Beat Pepperdine!

Don't fret about it so much. Schools like UNC and even Duke are a mix of one and dones and 3-4 year players. Don't see a reason why GU would be any different. What the Zags will never be is like Kentucky. THAT is literally what you are describing. I could never see Few or GU going that route. It isn't like our top players now stick around all 4 years. Domas, Adam, Rui, Olynyk all left early. Heck, without the injuries, Tills wouldn't be here either.

[Ladyzag12]

That was obviously a planted question and this was a plan of both announcing his decision, trying to improve his national prominence, and finally, use leverage to increase his offers from abroad. I can't say he failed at any of those goals, but you can understand people being a little salty.

[JPtheBeasta]

That was obviously a planted question and this was a plan of both announcing his decision, trying to improve his national prominence, and finally, use leverage to increase his offers from abroad. I can't say he failed at any of those goals, but you can understand people being a little salty.

Or TV people trying to be provocative and stir up controversy.

[Zag365]

Welcome Jalen Suggs!! My hope and wish is that like a lot of us he finds that the decision to attend Gonzaga is one of the best of his life.

To the naysayers, especially those critical of Jalen directly, you should be ashamed of yourselves. He was asked a question and answered it honestly and thoughtfully.

Like this pithy summary of what I believe is the feeling of Zag Nation.

The whiners are a handful of congenital naysayers that revel in being contrarian. Studies show that anonymous blog forums attract negative and snarky comments way out of proportion to views of general audience.

[Goshzagit]

I sincerely wonder how Coach Few and Staff genuinely feel about the professional/overseas considerations?

Obviously they are excited about his commitment yet curious how this impacts them, their recruiting for next season (potential grad transfer market), and the plan going forward.

Probably consider it 'nature of the beast', yet must be unsettling as a staff to plan for your future STARTING PG in limbo for next season.

For instance, a potential high level grad transfer (Woolridge) it could make or break their decision to come to GU.

Risk vs Reward when it comes to players of this caliber I suppose.

[zaguarxj]

Suggs leads to Chet and that's a sweet get.

The future's so bright, I have to wear 'shades. Welcome to the Zags family Mr. Suggs!

[IowaSERE]

All of that sounds great and all, except I don't know how one is a "fan" of those teams when so many of the kids are just churned every single year. I just don't get it where every single year, your biggest star is someone you don't know.

Maybe I am being too simplistic. Maybe there are many multi-year players with all the teams, or maybe it's easy to fall in love quickly.

But I don't get it.

Until you get to say good-bye to a bunch of Pangos-Perkins-Karnos-Tillie/Kisperts, stars that are there a long time, it seems "weird."

Did you love Goss, Brandon, Woolridge, etc any less since they were only here for 1 year? What about Collins who left after one year. I sure enjoyed seeing him at the Portland game rooting for the Zags, getting some TV time and some good press.