Ayrton Oneill
Gonzaga's representation in the NBA is growing, with 11 players on an active roster on the opening day of the 2023-24 NBA season. In the last 10 years, 11 former Gonzaga players have been drafted into the NBA, nine of them in the first round. The most recent Gonzaga players to be drafted in the first round are Victor Wembanyama, who was the No. 1 overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs, and Julian Strawther, who was picked 29th overall by the Denver Nuggets. Other notable Gonzaga players who have been drafted in the NBA include John Stockton, Dan Dickau, and Adam Morrison.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Gonzaga's representation in the NBA | Growing by the year |
| First alum to play in the NBA | John Stockton, drafted 16th overall by the Utah Jazz in 1984 |
| Number of former Zags in the pros | 11 players on an active roster on the opening day of the 2023-24 NBA season |
| Number of former Zags selected in the first round of the draft | 9 |
| Gonzaga players drafted in the NBA in the last 10 years | Dan Dickau, Ronny Turiaf, Adam Morrison, Austin Daye, Robert Sacre, Collins, Williams-Goss, Holmgren, Suggs, Julian Strawther, Drew Timme |
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What You'll Learn
John Stockton, the first Gonzaga player to be drafted
John Stockton, a Spokane native, was the first Gonzaga player to be drafted into the NBA. He was drafted 16th overall by the Utah Jazz in 1984. Stockton had a stellar senior season with the Gonzaga Bulldogs, averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 3.9 steals. He also broke the city record for points scored in a single basketball season while in high school.
Stockton went on to have a remarkable NBA career, spending 19 seasons with the Utah Jazz and making the playoffs every year. He was a ten-time NBA All-Star and led the league in steals per game in the 1988-89 season. He also led the NBA in assists per game for nine consecutive seasons. Stockton ended his career as the league's record holder for most career assists and steals. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 and was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996.
Since Stockton, Gonzaga has produced several other NBA players, including Dan Dickau, Adam Morrison, and more recently, Strawther, who was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 2023. Gonzaga's representation in the NBA is growing, and the program is now recognized as one of the most consistent teams in college basketball.
John Stockton's son, David Stockton, also played college basketball at Gonzaga and went on to play for the Sacramento Kings and the Utah Jazz. Stockton's other son, Michael, played basketball at Westminster College in Salt Lake City, while his daughters, Lindsay and Laura, played at Montana State University and Gonzaga, respectively.
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Julian Strawther, a surprise first-round pick
Strawther's NBA prospects gradually improved in the lead-up to the draft. Standing at 6 feet 7 inches and weighing 210 pounds, his impressive frame and shooting ability made him an intriguing prospect. The Gonzaga Bulldogs star was ranked as the 42nd-best prospect by Tankathon and 48th by ESPN, with NBADraft.net ranking him the highest at 24th.
NBA Draft analyst Sam Vecenie commented on Strawther's potential, stating:
> "I completely buy Strawther translating as a shooter at the next level. He's a legit 40 percent guy. He has real touch and NBA range on the jumper. His shot prep is superb. The mechanics are perfect. And he has the kind of quick release you tend to need when morphing into a floor spacer at that level given how quickly shooting windows close."
Strawther has certainly proved his worth at the Denver Nuggets, becoming a prominent part of the team's rotation during his sophomore season. He scored a career-high 23 points against the Philadelphia 76ers in January 2025 and played a pivotal role in the 2025 playoffs, scoring 15 points in the final 14 minutes of a game six elimination game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Strawther's selection by the Denver Nuggets adds to the growing representation of Gonzaga players in the NBA. The small Jesuit school in Spokane had a slow start, producing its first NBA player in 1984, but has since seen its alumni numbers in the league increase significantly.
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Holmgren, a highly-anticipated freshman
Chet Holmgren, a consensus five-star recruit, was the top-ranked player of the 2021 class. He played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs, joining them in June 2020. Standing at 7 ft 1 in tall, he plays the center and power forward positions.
Holmgren was born on May 1, 2002, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and grew up playing basketball under his father, Dave Holmgren, who played college basketball for the University of Minnesota. By ninth grade, he had grown to 6 ft 9 in tall. As a freshman at Minnehaha Academy, he stood at 6 ft 2 in.
Holmgren's unique combination of ball handling and shot-making at 7 feet tall made him one of the most highly anticipated freshmen to ever play college basketball. In his college debut, he tallied 14 points, 13 rebounds, seven blocks, and six assists in a 97–63 victory over Dixie State. He became the first player in 25 years to record at least 10 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and five blocks in his debut. On November 22, the seven-foot freshman finished with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting and 3 for 3 at the free-throw line.
At the NCAA tournament, Holmgren recorded 19 points, 17 rebounds, seven blocks, and five assists in their 93–72 opening-round victory over Georgia State. As a freshman, he averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game. On April 21, 2022, he declared for the 2022 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility. He was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the second overall pick.
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Rui Hachimura, the first Japanese player to be selected in the first round
Gonzaga's representation in the NBA is growing year by year. The small Jesuit school in Spokane didn't produce a single pro basketball player in its first 25 years at the Division-I level. John Stockton, drafted in 1984, was the program's first alum to play in the NBA. Since then, 12 more players have joined Stockton in the NBA, nine of whom were selected in the first round of the draft.
One of these players is Rui Hachimura, a Japanese professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA. Hachimura, who is half-Black and half-Japanese, was born in 1998 in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, to a Japanese mother and a Beninese father. He played basketball at Meisei High School in Japan, leading the team to three straight All-Japan High School Tournament titles. In 2016, he joined the Gonzaga Bulldogs as the fifth Japanese-born men's NCAA Division I player. In 2017, he became the first Japanese national to play in the NCAA Division I men's tournament. During his time at Gonzaga, he earned first-team All-WCC honours and was a finalist for the Naismith Player of the Year.
In 2019, Hachimura declared for the NBA draft, where he was selected ninth overall by the Washington Wizards, becoming the first Japanese player to be selected in the first round of the NBA draft. He was also the second Japanese-born player to be drafted into the NBA, following Yasutaka Okayama, who was drafted in 1981 but never signed. Hachimura wore a Japanese flag pin at the draft and addressed the camera in Japanese, aware of his historical significance. He joined the Wizards as a frontcourt player, providing an immediate impact alongside All-Star players John Wall and Bradley Beal.
Hachimura played for the Wizards for three seasons before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in January 2023. During his time with the Wizards, he suffered a groin injury that required surgery and caused him to miss several games. He was also named the worst defensive power forward in the NBA by Bleacher Report in 2020. However, he improved his three-point shooting, with a 44.7% rate during the 2021-22 season, the second-highest in the NBA. He also made his playoff debut in 2021, recording 12 points and five rebounds in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
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Dan Dickau, the second Gonzaga player to be drafted
Dan Dickau, born on September 16, 1978, in Portland, Oregon, was the second Gonzaga player to be drafted into the NBA, in 2002. Dickau is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Gonzaga Bulldogs for two seasons under head coach Mark Few. He was a standout point guard and was named a first-team All-American.
Dickau's NBA career included stints with multiple teams. He was initially drafted by the Atlanta Hawks and signed a three-season deal worth $2.08 million. He later played for the Boston Celtics, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, and the Golden State Warriors. During the 2004-05 season with the New Orleans Hornets, Dickau had his best season, leading the team in total assists, steals, and 3-pointers made. He averaged 20 or more points in seven games and recorded five double-doubles.
In 2006, Dickau was traded to the Trail Blazers for the second time and then to the Knicks in a draft-day trade package. He was waived by the Knicks and later signed with the Clippers. After a brief stint with the Golden State Warriors in 2008, Dickau played for teams outside the NBA, including Air Avellino in the Italian League and Brose Baskets in the German Basketball Bundesliga.
Dickau has also had a notable personal life. He married his wife, Heather, in 2002, and they have seven children together. After his playing career, Dickau transitioned into broadcasting and currently works as an on-air broadcaster for ESPN, the Pac-12 Network, CBS Sports Network, Fox Sports, and Westwood One. He also co-hosts a show on Spokane's 700 ESPN.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Julian Strawther was drafted in the first round by the Denver Nuggets.
13 former Gonzaga players have been drafted into the NBA in the first round. However, another source states that there have been 31 Gonzaga players drafted into the NBA overall.
John Stockton was the first Gonzaga player to be drafted into the NBA in 1984. Other players include Dan Dickau in 2002, Ronny Turiaf in 2005, Adam Morrison in 2006, Austin Daye in 2009, Robert Sacre in 2012, Rui Hachimura, Zach Collins, Brandon Clarke, and Zach Norvell Jr. in 2019, and Jalen Suggs in 2021.
