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Chet Holmgren, college basketball’s No. 1 recruit, commits to Gonzaga

By Mike Phillips

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 04: Terren Frank #15 of Sierra Canyon Trailblazers defends against Chet Holmgren #34 of Minnehaha Academy Red Hawks during the second half of the game at Target Center on January 04, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 04: Terren Frank #15 of Sierra Canyon Trailblazers defends against Chet Holmgren #34 of Minnehaha Academy Red Hawks during the second half of the game at Target Center on January 04, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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Gonzaga basketball secured a major commitment from Chet Holmgren, the nation’s top recruit.

Even after a tough loss in the national championship game, hopes are high for Gonzaga to be a top team next season. The Bulldogs took a big step forward in their pursuit of a championship today when Chet Holmgren, the nation’s top recruit, announced his plans to play collegiately at Gonzaga.

Holmgren picked Gonzaga over a star-studded list of final schools that included Michigan, Ohio State, Minnesota, Georgetown and Memphis.

This also marks the first time that Gonzaga has landed the consensus No. 1 recruit in the nation, a major milestone for Mark Few’s program who has put together the best recruiting class in Gonzaga basketball history. With Holmgren, Gonzaga now has the nation’s No. 3 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.

The addition of the 7-foot-1 Holmgren gives Gonzaga a dominant player who has the potential to be the most unique athlete to ever step foot on campus in Spokane. Holmgren, who once dribbled past Steph Curry and dunked over him at an All-Star camp in 2019, can be an impact shot blocker on one end of the floor and play the kind of breakneck offensive basketball that is defining the modern game thanks to his ability to go up and down the floor along with a smooth 3-point stroke.

The move from Holmgren wasn’t much of a surprise given his background with Jalen Suggs, the Bulldogs star who was Holmgren’s high school and AAU teammate. Suggs undoubtedly was able to offer a strong sales pitch for Gonzaga, where he starred before going pro as a potential top-five pick in July’s NBA Draft. Holmgren projects as the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Chet Holmgren is part of a loaded recruiting class for Gonzaga basketball

Adding Holmgren alone would be a big deal but the Bulldogs can surround him with more elite recruits like five-star point guard Hunter Sallis, who should step right into Suggs’ spot in the starting five, along with four-star forwards Ben Gregg and Kaden Perry.

Gonzaga has lost its fair share of talent this offseason with Suggs, Corey Kispert and Joel Ayayi going pro while Oumar Ballo and Pavel Zakharov entered the transfer portal. The crazy thing is that the Bulldogs still can assemble a loaded lineup with the incoming recruiting class joining returning starters Drew Timme and Andrew Nembhard as well as key reserves like Anton Watson and Julian Strawther. That should give Gonzaga a roster that contends for the No. 1 ranking in the preseason Top 25.

Holmgren will be the focal point of this Bulldogs’ team, however, and should be a dominant presence for Gonzaga in his one year on campus. There is no doubt that Holmgren will follow Suggs’ path by going one-and-done for the Bulldogs but his arrival cements Gonzaga as the top team entering the season, a group that could get even stronger through the transfer portal since Few still has several scholarships to play with.

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