re: How incredible is it that Gonzaga is a powerhouse?

I'm a Gonzaga Alum (law school), and people always fail to realize how well Gonzaga has played the transfer game, long before transfers became common place. The guys that have transferred in from the University of Washington, helped put Gonzaga on the map.

Jeff Brown, UW transfer in 1991. 3 time WCC all-league and 1994 WCC player of the year.

Dan Dickau, UW transfer in 2000. 1st team All-American for Gonzaga.

Errol Knight, UW transfer in 2002. 3 year starter Gonzaga teams that won the WCC and made the NCAA tournament.

Nigel Williams-Goss, UW transfer in 2015. 2nd team All-American at Gonzaga.

Josh Heytvelt didn't transfer from UW, but ended up at Gonzaga after Gonzaga reported UW for improper recruiting involving Heytvelt. (One of the reasons that the UW/Gonzaga basketball series ended).

Add in other transfers like Kyle Wiltjer (Kentucky), Micah Downs (Kansas), Brandon Clarke (San Jose State), Andrew Nembhard (Florida), Jonathan Williams (Missouri) and then their outstanding overseas recruiting ... Sabonis, Turiaf, Timme, Tillie, Olynyk, among others ... and it's really crazy how they've managed to draw that kinda' talent to Spokane.

They are literally the only show in town and if you haven't been to Spokane, describing it as a "town" and not a city is pretty accurate.

Their success is a direct result of the stability of Mark Few and his best assistant, Tommy Lloyd.

Let's see how they do in the tourney. Beating up west coast teams isn't that much of an overall accomplishment.

Its a commuter school or at least was. Campus was non-existent. I think its grown because of the basketball success.

So OP is right, its like a night school suddenly becoming IU...and Gonzaga has had more success in the NCAA Tourney the last 20 years than IU.

They sold basketball to tweener athletes who couldn't get real Pac10 offers and got them to go to a nothing campus school in a small nothing town.

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They are starting to get 5 star players

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One of their best players this year is a 5-star from Richardson, TX

So random.

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and then their outstanding overseas recruiting ... Sabonis, Turiaf, Timme, Tillie, Olynyk, among others ... and it's really crazy how they've managed to draw that kinda' talent to Spokane.

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I understand that studying under Vern Davidson may have distorted your world views but Timme is from Texas and Olynyk is from Canada but I would not classify either of those as overseas recruiting. LOL

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1 John Stockton 15,806
2 Jason Kidd 12,091
3 Steve Nash 10,335

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I knew Stockton had a healthy lead, but I had no idea he was 3700+ ahead of 2nd place.

That's one to remember for the "records that will never be broken" discussions.

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Let's see how they do in the tourney. Beating up west coast teams isn't that much of an overall accomplishment.

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They’ve made the tourney every year since 1999. That’s 20 straight years of tournaments.

10 of those years they made the Sweet 16. I would venture to say that’s better than just about everyone outside of your Duke/UNC/Kentucky type teams. 4 elite 8’s in there as well, and a runner up finish. You need to get a title to be considered a “powerhouse” but that’s really all they are missing to be considered a modern day one. The consistency and track record is there otherwise, even more so than some teams that do have a title in that span.

Are they really a powerhouse though?

Their lone final 4 appearance and CCG appearance didn’t occur until 2017, when the Tarheels upended them. Hell, they struggled getting into the elite eight until Few until the 20-teens. I guess it’s impressive being from the WCC.

Much of that has to do with a schedule built in for 25 cookie cutter matchups.

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I don’t know that I’d call Gonzaga a powerhouse

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if they aren’t now then who is?

Kind of want to see them go undefeated this year. Great program.