Andrew Nembhard was the most sought after transfer in this year’s ever-expanding transfer portal. The sophomore guard from Canada decided that he would remove his name from the NBA Draft this season and enter the transfer portal. After receiving interest from Duke, Memphis, USC, Georgetown, and Stanford, the five-star recruit finally chose the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Andrew Nembhard Commits to Gonzaga
Nembhard underachieved during his time in Gainesville as a Florida Gator. He played at Montverde Academy in high school with notable Canadian and friend R.J. Barrett. Out of high school, he was projected to be a major player for the Gators and he was. Nembhard played 67 games for Florida and he started every single one of them. That is impressive for any player, especially a young point guard on talented teams. However, his numbers did not quite match expectations.
Florida was littered with talent for the last two seasons, but the team did not play as much of a team. The offense greatly struggled and possessions would often end in an isolation situation and a contested jump-shot. That hurt Nembhard because he is more of an all-around guard than a scorer, which he was forced into being at Florida.
Overall, Nembhard averaged 9.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game for his career. Those assist numbers are outstanding for a guard and continually placed him at the top of the SEC ranks.
What Does This Mean for Gonzaga?
No one is happier than Mark Few right now. It is worth noting that Nembhard will likely have to sit out this season unless he receives a waiver from the NCAA. If Nembhard does receive a waiver and joins the Bulldogs this year, Gonzaga becomes an immediate title contender.
If Nembhard sits out, it is slightly more difficult to predict who will be on the Bulldogs roster. However, let’s try. Filip Petrusev, Drew Timme, and Joel Ayayi are all players that could have eligibility left when Nembhard is active, but it seems unlikely that Ayayi and Petrusev will still be there. However, Timme could form a great pick and roll pair with Nembhard.
In addition to those big names, Gonzaga had three four-star recruits see limited minutes in their freshman season, so expect them to make significant leaps over the next two seasons.
This coming season, Gonzaga signed superstar Jalen Suggs, as well as two four-star wings that will likely be hitting their stride as Nembhard is ready to suit up.
Anyone who watches college basketball knows that Mark Few develops players as well as any other coach in the country. You can expect Andrew Nembhard to develop nicely as well. He will look a lot like Nigel Williams-Goss who transferred to Gonzaga, sat out a season, and then led the Bulldogs to a National Championship berth.
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