Tag: graham ike

Gonzaga adds two big pieces to their 2023-2024 roster on Friday

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs had themselves a very good start to their morning on Friday.

It could not have been a better morning for the Gonzaga Bulldogs and head coach Mark Few on Friday.

The Zags early on Friday added a pair of big transfer portal additions to their roster for next season in Wyoming forward Graham Ike and Creight transfer Ryan Nembhard, who was ESPN’s No.2 player in the transfer portal this offseason. Both players announced their decision via social media on Friday morning.

Ike, a 6-foot-9, 245-pound forward out of Aurora, Colorado was one of the portal’s top big men in the country but missed this past season due to a foot injury. That being said, the last time we saw him in the 2021-2022 season, he was nothing short of dominating, averaging 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds for Wyoming while leading the Cowboys to the NCAA Tournament.

The 2021-2022 All-MWC Selection will have a chance to once again be one of the most dominating forwards in the country with Gonzaga as long as he can stay healthy. He’ll of course be looked upon to step into the shoes of now former Gonzaga star forward Drew Timme.

Nembhard, as mentioned above was considered one of the best prospect’s in the portal overall including No.2 by ESPN. The 6-foot-0 guard out Florida averaged 11.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists this past season for Creighton, helping take the Bluejays to the Elite Eight. The Florida native will look to help replace the likes of Rasir Bolton in Gonzaga’s lineup next season.

This past season, Gonzaga went 31-06 including 14-2 in WCC play. After splitting the regular season WCC championship with Saint Mary’s, the Zags would go onto win the WCC Conference Tournament. They would be selected as a No.3 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament, making it into the Elite Eight before being eliminated by eventual national champion UConn 82-54.

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5 big men the Oregon Ducks should pursue in the transfer portal

The Oregon Ducks are awaiting decisions for both N’Faly Dante and Kel’el Ware, but the transfer portal has replacements if needed.

The frontcourt for the 2023-24 Oregon Ducks is about as unsettled as it could possibly get.

Nate Bittle plans to return after averaging 7.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in 18 minutes per game last year, but until either N’Faly Dante or Kel’el Ware announce their plans for next season this team will need to explore the transfer portal to make an addition to the frontcourt.

Dante is coming off a career year and could parlay that into a professional career, either in the NBA or overseas if that doesn’t pan out, while Ware’s first season in Eugene went extremely poorly and it seems unlikely he’ll choose to return, either trying his hand at the NBA or entering the transfer portal.

Assuming one (or both) of those players depart, the Ducks will turn to the transfer portal to find a post player who can compliment the trio of newcomers in KJ Evans, Mookie Cook, and Jackson Shelstad.

The portal is far from set, with 1500 or so players expected to enter when all is said and done, but here is a first look at five big men the Ducks could bring to Eugene for next season: