The new “epidemic” of college basketball that is scaring hoop fans and analyst everywhere has seemingly hit every school in the country. While it is usually hurting the mid-major schools of America, one man is using the “disease” to his advantage.
Say hello to Mark Few of Gonzaga.
Of course, right? Few is one of the most under-appreciated coaches in the country, and one of the smartest when it comes to acquiring talent in the little town of <enter town>. He has been using the method for years, like most other coaches, but following his recent string of newcomers has been quite impressive in itself. Few himself is a energetic human-being, and has an extremely low ego.
Think about it. A man that has two Elite Eight appearances, six Sweet Sixteen appearances, made the tournament every season since 1999, and has been the conference champion 13 times should be coaching at a “Power Five” conference by now. Few loves Spokane, though, and he feels connected to it.
He came to the university in 1989 as a graduate assistant and became the head coach in 1999 after ten years of being the assistant. Few managed to help turn a fallen program around in just a few (pun intended) years. Being able to sustain success at a mid-major program without parading to greener grasses these days is a tough task. We have seen Shaka Smart (VCU) and Brad Stevens (Butler) both leave programs they built with their own two hands for “better” jobs.
(To be fair, we have also watched Gregg Marshall of Wichita State stay loyal to Shocker nation despite all their recent success.)
Few doesn’t feel — and really never has felt — that itch to jump to a more prestigious school, not even one that automatically attracts big time recruits out of high school. One reason for this is one of Few’s strengths when it comes to acquiring talent: the transfer.
Few has been flexing his muscles — undoubtedly in the corner of the room, where he doesn’t have to attract attention — in the transfer-recruitment world lately. A couple years ago, Few got Kyle Wiltjer to commit to the ‘Zags after Wiltjer decided to transfer from Kentucky. Last year, Byron Wesley — a graduate transfer from USC — decided to join Gonzaga for his final collegiate season. Few nabbed two transfers during this current off-season as well: Washington’s Nigel Williams-Gross and Missouri’s Jonathan Williams III. Both players were two of the most talented transfers available, and will be two positive additions for the Bulldogs when they suit up for the 2016-17 season.
The abundance of transfers going to Spokane has many reasons, but the main reason is to rekindle one’s love for the game. It is fair to say guys like Wiltjer, Williams-Gross, and Williams III weren’t in their total comfort zones at their respected schools, and Gonzaga is the place to find themselves.
Wiltjer was a five-star recruit coming out of high school, and would ultimately sign with John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats. Wiltjer wasn’t nearly as dominant in the Wildcat uniform, and found himself straying on the perimeter, and not playing his game. He decided to transfer to Gonzaga, and he took his year off to focus on the strength & conditioning aspect of basketball. He was stronger than ever before, and lived in the paint this year, helping the Bulldogs win the West Coast Conference.
It would not be surprising at all for Gross-Williams and Williams III to be experiencing the same thing as Wiltjer. Both players’ teams had roller-coaster years. Washington started off really well, but saw big man Robert Upshaw dismissed from the team, and the Huskies struggled to a frustrating 16-15 record. Missouri was abysmal, and finished 9-23 for the year. The transfers could be considered each teams’ best player, but they ultimately strive for greener pastures — and simply, more winning. Gonzaga is the perfect location for these type of players on losing, frustrating teams. Few has realized this to be the case more than ever, and has convinced some pretty good players to play for him, in Spokane, to rediscover the game. It has certainly paid off for the Bulldogs thus far, and it will be curious to see how long the trend continues.
