Who are the top former Gonzaga players in NBA history?
Out in Spokane, Washington, a new NCAA men’s basketball powerhouse has slowly taken over the sport. Though it’s not as storied as a school like UNC or Duke, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are quickly becoming the model for elite collegiate hoops in the 21st century. As such, many of the top former Gonzaga players in the NBA are still writing their story.
Gonzaga’s men’s basketball program actually dates back to 1907, where the team saw early success. For most of the next hundred years or so, though, the Bulldogs were a cut below the best of the best in the NCAA. In fact, Gonzaga’s first trip to the Big Dance wasn’t until 1995.
Even though the Bulldogs are really only beginning their climb to the basketball mountaintop, there have been plenty of notable alums to lace up for action in the Association. Let’s look at the all-time best Gonzaga players to play in the NBA.
John Stockton
AP Photo/Jeff T. Green
Far ahead of the Bulldog pack lies John Stockton. The Stamp played 1504 games in the NBA. (The next closest Gonzaga alum on the list? Kelly Olynyk and his 600 or so games played.)
Stockton is a native of Spokane, and went to Gonzaga Prep for high school. The man was destined to be a Bulldog – his grandfather played football at Gonzaga back in the 20s. It’s no surprise Stockton agreed to play for the Bulldogs under coach Dan Fitzgerald.
Stockton’s college days previewed the player he would become in the pros. As a senior, he led the West Coast Athletic Conference in points, steals, and assists. and was the first ever Bulldog to be named WCAC Player of the Year. During his NCAA days, Stockton tried out for the 1984 US Men’s Olympic team, and although he came up short, he did meet future teammate Karl Malone.
Stockton and Malone became one of the most accomplished duos the NBA has ever seen. In his 19 seasons as a pro – all with the Utah Jazz – Stockton was an All-Star ten times and won two Olympic gold medals. John Stockton is the NBA’s all-time leader in total assists and total steals.
Adam Morrison
Photo By Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Only five former Bulldogs have ever reached an NBA Finals: Stockton, Ronny Turiaf, Kelly Olynyk, Austin Dayes, and Adam Morrison. Perhaps Gonzaga’s most iconic alum, Morrison won two championships as a pro in 2009 and 2010.
As a kid, Morrison was the Bulldogs ball boy and played in camps the school hosted. As a freshman, he led the team to the 2003 WCC Title. Gonzaga repeated the following year, and Morrison was an All-American honorable mention.
As a junior, Morrison helped put Gonzaga on the map. The Bulldogs had a cinderella run to the Sweet Sixteen in 2006. That season, he was the WCC Player of the Year, led the NCAA in scoring, and shared National Player of the Year honor’s with Duke’s JJ Redick.
Morrison was drafted third overall in the 2006 NBA draft by the Charlotte Bobcats. Injuries and poor defense led to an underwhelming professional career, despite the two NBA Titles.
Kelly Olynyk
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Kelly Olynyk is, at present, the second-most seasoned Gonzaga player in NBA history. If the program continues its recent run of excellence, this is likely to change. But for now, KO is one of the Bulldogs great alums in pro basketball.
Born in Toronto, Olynyk played his high school hoops in British Columbia, while occasionally traveling to the US to compete in AAU tournaments. KO was recruited by schools like Syracuse and Providence, but ultimately landed with Gonzaga so he could stay closer to home. His first two seasons underwhelmed, and Olynyk redshirted a year to improve away from the game.
When he returned, KO had immensely improved his game. In 2013 he was the West Coast Conference Player of the Year and Consensus First-team All-American. From there, he was off to the pros. He landed with the Boston Celtics, and was named to the All-Rookie Second Team in 2014.
Olynyk has proven a solid rotation player in the NBA. His career highlight thus far came in 2017. During Game 7 of a second-round playoff matchup against the Wizards, Olynyk scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to send the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals. Now with the Pistons, he has plenty of time to add more highlights and accolades to his resume.
Ronny Turiaf
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Life for Ronny Turiaf began in France, where, in 1999, he played alongside Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, and Mickael Pietrus on Frances Under-18 national team. The French won gold in the 2000 FIBA tournament that year.
As a member of the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, Turiaf was named First-team All-WCC three times from 2003-2005, and in 2005 was the WCC Player of the Year. He graduated with a degree in sports management, French, and communication.
Turiaf had a slow start to his NBA career, but as a member of the 2008 Lakers, he started long stretches of the season in place of the injured Pau Gasol. During his time in LA, he became close friends with Kobe Bryant; Kobe listed Turiaf as one of his favorite teammates of all time. Turiaf became a bit of a journeyman in the Association. As a member of the 2012 Miami Heat, he won an NBA Title.
Domantas Sabonis
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Domantas Sabonis may only be 25 years old, but he’s already fourth in NBA games played among Gonzaga alum. He’s second in total rebounds and third in points scored.
Now a member of the Sacramento Kings, the former All-Star has a chance to continue to prove himself as a star in the league. Alongside De’Aaron Fox, Sabonis has a chance to become one of the great former Bulldogs.
The son of Arvydas Sabonis, Domantas grew up in Portland, Oregon before playing professional basketball as a teenager in Spain. He eventually returned stateside, and as a freshman helped lead Gonzaga to the Elite Eight in the 2015 NCAA tournament. The following season, the Bulldogs reached the Sweet Sixteen, and Sabonis was First-team All-WCC and an Honorable Mention All-American.
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