Gonzaga NBA Draft prospects 2023: Day 1 drafted selections and promising undrafted players ft. Julian Strawther, Drew Timme and more
The 2023 NBA Draft was a roller coaster ride for Gonzaga fans, who saw one of their former stars get picked in the first round by the defending champions and another go undrafted despite being an All-American.
Here's how the night unfolded for the Bulldogs' players who declared for the draft.
Julian Strawther: No. 29 to Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets made a splash in the 2023 NBA Draft by trading up with the Indiana Pacers to snag former Gonzaga Bulldogs standout Julian Strawther at No. 29.
Strawther was widely expected to go in the second round, but the Nuggets saw something special in him and decided to take a chance. Most draft experts had Strawther ranked in the 40s or 50s on their big boards, with NBADraft.net being the lone exception at No. 24.
The 6-foot-7 wing averaged 15.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in his junior season at the Zags.
Drew Timme: Undrafted, signed with Milwaukee Bucks
Former Zags star Drew Timme didn’t get drafted on Thursday night, but he still landed an opportunity to pursue his NBA dream.
The Milwaukee Bucks signed Timme to an Exhibit 10 contract shortly after the 2023 NBA Draft concluded. The deal is a minimum salary contract that can be converted to a two-way contract before the season starts.
Timme will have to earn his spot on the Bucks roster during training camp and the Summer League. He was a standout player for the Zags, earning All-American honors in his junior year.
Other Gonzaga players who declared for the draft
As of Friday morning, three other Zags who declared for the draft were left without an NBA team. Anton Watson, Malachi Smith and Steele Venters did not hear their names called on draft night and have not signed any deals yet.
Watson, a junior forward who was a vital piece for the Zags last season, opted to withdraw from the draft and come back to Gonzaga for one more year. He put up 11.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game on a remarkable 60.8% shooting from the floor.
Smith, a freshman guard who saw limited action for the Zags last season, entered the draft without an agent, which means he could still return to school. However, he has not made his intentions known yet, so his future remains uncertain.
Venters, who transferred from Eastern Washington Eagles just this year, did not get any playing time for the Zags last season, and declared for the draft as a way of chasing his pro basketball dream, but he was a long shot to be drafted or signed by an NBA team.