Best Gonzaga basketball players: All-time starting lineup

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 30: Head coach Mark Few of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts during the second half of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Honda Center on March 30, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

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LAS VEGAS, NV – MARCH 11: David Stockton #11 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs poses with his father, former NBA player John Stockton (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

1. G John Stockton (1980-1984)

The only thing missing from Gonzaga’s all-time starting lineup is a point guard, and they have one of the best to ever do it in John Stockton. It may be hard for casual fans to remember Stockton played at Gonzaga, but his four years with the Bulldogs set the stage for a prolific pro career.

Stockton had a legacy at Gonzaga, becoming the third generation of his family to go to school in Spokane. Things started slowly for Stockton on the basketball court, but by the end of his career, Stockton was the Bulldogs’ clear leader.

Stockton was named to the All-WCC First Team as a junior and senior, winning the conference’s Player of the Year Honors as a senior in 1984. That season was special for Stockton, who led the Bulldogs with 20.9 points per game and led the conference in scoring, assists, and steals.

Stockton’s efforts helped lead Gonzaga to its best season in 17 years and he parlayed that success into a selection by the Utah Jazz with the 16th pick in the NBA Draft. The Jazz saw Stockton form one of the most successful pick-and-roll duos in history with Karl Malone, with their peak coming in consecutive losses in the NBA Finals to Michael Jordan‘s Chicago Bulls.

Stockton is a basketball icon and Hall of Famer, so he is a natural choice to be the leader of this all-time Gonzaga starting five. This lineup is full of scorers and having Stockton facilitate the offense would be an excellent way to set up these Bulldogs for immense success.

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