Filip going pro

[thickman1]

One time he simply walked off the court in pique after not getting the ball enough. Another time he chose to argue with the ref under the basket while the game went the other way down the court.

This! GU will miss his easy post production but that’s it. Dude was beyond selfish and quite frankly think this is addition by subtraction.

[hockeyzag]

Great piece in The Athletic....

The news came by way of Eurohoops, which passed along a report from Nova.rs, which said that Petrusev had decided to start his professional basketball career in his hometown of Belgrade, Serbia, where he would play for Serbian club Mega Bemax. Until then, Petrusev had been in the NBA Draft process, and his stature therein — as a fringe top-100-ish prospect — made the possibility of his return to Gonzaga seem likely.

On its face, such news — the semi-surprising loss of your best, most productive player — has the potential to devastate a fan base. It happens all the time, a team’s fortunes hinging on the decision of one 19-year-old or the other. And yet Gonzaga fans like the ones commenting at Slipper Still Fits, were, even in the immediate wake of the news, almost entirely sanguine. The response could be summarized as a broad, collective “Meh.” The takeaway: “We’ll be fine.”

And you know what? They’re right. Gonzaga will be totally fine.

It was pretty interesting how much the Zag community on average didn't really fret over losing the former WCC Player of the Year. He was a player who seemed to me to be more interested in himself than the good of the team. We've been lucky to not have to deal with that kind of attitude for a long time, and I'm confident that the remaining players on the team won't act that way. Guys like Kispert, Ayayi, Timme, Watson...I just couldn't imagine them not continuing to act like team first players. I've never witnessed any of them sulking because they didn't get the ball on a play, or not hustling back on D.

I agree with thickman1, addition by subtraction.

[jazzdelmar]

It was pretty interesting how much the Zag community on average didn't really fret over losing the former WCC Player of the Year. He was a player who seemed to me to be more interested in himself than the good of the team. We've been lucky to not have to deal with that kind of attitude for a long time, and I'm confident that the remaining players on the team won't act that way. Guys like Kispert, Ayayi, Timme, Watson...these all seem like team first personalities. One couldn't imagine them sulking because they didn't get the ball on a play, or not hustling back on D. Those guys pick each other up, and play for their teammates.

I agree with thickman1, addition by subtraction.

Petro, Daye....who fills out all me-first Zag team?

[hockeyzag]

Petro, Daye....who fills out all me-first Zag team?

Luckily we haven't seen many. It speaks to our coaches and who they decide to recruit, as well as the culture they bring them into.

I look back fondly on the Pangos/Bell teams, those two were great leaders. I remember Wiltjer talking about how the team all spent time together and supported each other. He spoke about how unique that was because most teams end up segmenting themselves into "clicks".

[jazzdelmar]

Luckily we haven't seen many. It speaks to our coaches and who they decide to recruit, as well as the culture they bring them into.

I look back fondly on the Pangos/Bell teams, those two were great leaders. I remember Wiltjer talking about how the team all spent time together and supported each other. He spoke about how unique that was because most teams end up segmenting themselves into "clicks".

Fair enough. But we’ve had enough for a team. Conversely, who’s on all time unselfish squad with Josh and Karno?

[Grand Valley Zag]

Fair enough. But we’ve had enough for a team. Conversely, who’s on all time unselfish squad with Josh and Karno?

Ronny.

[jsnider]

We will be fine if Kispert and Ayayi return. We are making that assumption. No telling if it is right or not. I hope they do and it is right.

[ZagNative]

Nice video from KREM 2: https://www.krem.com/article/sports/...2-18f54dc9b0ab

[bdmiller7]

Not sure if this was posted here but on the press box podcast Jim Meehan said when the staff saw on their phones the press release that Filip had signed a pro contract, they also saw that he had been trying to contact them.

[Kong-Kool-Aid]

Say what you want about Daye, he was about the team. Don't like the revisionist history just because he left before he should have.

[TexasZagFan]

Fair enough. But we’ve had enough for a team. Conversely, who’s on all time unselfish squad with Josh and Karno?

Silas

[GoZags]

Silas

Too many to list.

I agree with Silas ... but I would put anyone who saw the floor with Silas as well.

I agree with Ronny ... but I would put virtually anyone who saw the floor with Ronny ... with perhaps one notable exception.

[Gonezagaga]

Any unselfish team would have to include Mike Hart. He would probably be captain.

[tummydoc]

He could walk the walk, but Ammo was me first. Not in a pouty way, he just knew he was the best offensive weapon.

[Kong-Kool-Aid]

https://theathletic.com/1940232/2020/07/20/filip-pestrusev-gonzaga-leaves-school-drew-timme/

Good piece on Petro leaving.

For all his strengths, in some ways the Zags make more sense without Petrusev than with him. It’s a strange situation, to be sure. But this is what happens when you’re in the sort of elevated program territory where Gonzaga now finds itself. Year after year, good players show up. Year after year, they get better. Sometimes, your roster is so overflowing with assets that you can’t find enough time on the basketball court for all of them. Sometimes, your best player leaves, and you wonder whether it might not just be a good thing after all.