Kong latest player to leave GU
Junior-to-be expected to resume career in Canada
Bol Kong has become the latest Gonzaga men’s basketball player to exit the program.
Athletic director Mike Roth confirmed the 6-foot-6 Kong has left the team. Kong left for unspecified personal reasons, according to a Gonzaga news release.
Roth wasn’t sure of Kong’s plans, but it was his understanding that Kong has returned to Canada. At this point, Kong hasn’t asked for a release to U.S. schools, which would indicate he’ll probably continue his career in Canada.
Kong is the fourth Bulldog to leave last season’s team, following G.J. Vilarino, Grant Gibbs and Andy Poling, who left in January. Gibbs will play for Creighton and Poling is at Seattle Pacific. Vilarino is expected to make his decision in early August.
Kong, a native of Sudan who moved to Canada at age 7, committed to Gonzaga in May 2008, but it took roughly 16 months for him to land Canadian citizenship and a student visa. He first stepped on U.S. soil last September.
He played in 31 games as a sophomore. He averaged 4.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and made 42.1 percent of his 3-pointers. His best performances often came in nonconference games. He averaged just 3.5 points and made just 32 percent of his 3s in West Coast Conference games.
Kong had back-to-back double-figures games against Wake Forest and Augustana (12 and 10 points, respectively) and added a season-high 14 against Oklahoma on New Year’s Eve. He scored 12 points in Gonzaga’s win at Portland to open the WCC season, but reached double digits in only one other conference game (12 points versus Santa Clara in late February).
He went through a shooting slump during conference play before connecting on 6 of 12 3s in the last five games of the regular season. He scored nine points in Gonzaga’s WCC Tournament win over Loyola Marymount. He went scoreless in the championship loss to Saint Mary’s. He played 16 minutes in two NCAA tournament games, but didn’t score.
Kong played his freshman season at Douglas College in British Columbia, helping the 2007-08 team to what is essentially the Canadian national championship. He joined three other Canadians – Robert Sacre, Kelly Olynyk and Manny Arop – on GU’s 2009-10 roster.
Kong figured to be in a battle for playing time at wing/small forward. Starters Steven Gray and Demetri Goodson return in the backcourt, and Arop provided a boost off the bench before breaking his foot in the WCC Tournament semifinals. J.C. transfer Marquise Carter can play point or off guard. Others who could see time are redshirt freshman David Stockton, incoming freshman Keegan Hyland and walk-on Mike Hart.
Gonzaga also is believed to be recruiting two foreign players who are attempting to satisfy NCAA eligibility requirements.