Four-star prospect Dusty Stromer reveals final four of Gonzaga, Arizona, UCLA, Houston
Three weeks after watching his second game at the Kennel this season, four-star 2023 prospect Dusty Stromer has listed Gonzaga as one of his four finalists.
The top-ranked Bulldogs made Stromer’s list, but Mark Few and his coaching staff may have to compete with a former colleague if they hope to secure a signature from the 6-foot-6, 180-pound shooting guard.
Second-ranked Arizona and former Zags assistant Tommy Lloyd also made Stromer’s list, along with 2021 Final Four contenders UCLA and Houston.
Stromer took an unofficial visit to Spokane in November for Gonzaga’s highly anticipated nonconference game against No. 5 Texas then returned Feb. 12 for his official visit, which coincided with the Bulldogs’ first West Coast Conference game with Saint Mary’s.
“The atmosphere is just unreal,” Stromer told The Spokesman-Review at halftime of the Saint Mary’s game. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and obviously the playing style they have and how fast they play. They get up and down and I really like that.”
The Southern California native and Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) standout is considered a four-star recruit by 247Sports.com, the fourth-best prospect in California and also the nation’s seventh-best shooting guard.
Stromer took his official visit to Gonzaga with five-star guard prospect Jared McCain, another California product who spoke highly of his experience at the Kennel.
Other schools that have offered Stromer include Louisville, Illinois, USC, UNLV, Texas A&M, Rutgers and California.
Upon announcing his final four schools, Stromer talked to Joe Tipton of the On3 recruiting website about his initial visit to Gonzaga for the Texas game.
“I really loved it,” he said. “I saw the Texas game and the crowd, the atmosphere in that gym was insane. The vibe and the atmosphere was unreal, so I definitely had a lot of fun.”
Stromer told The S-R he spent time meeting with current Gonzaga players about their experience in Spokane and singled out junior forward Drew Timme, who was recently named the WCC Player of the Year.
“They all love it,” he said. “Talking to Drew and his family, they have nothing but positive words to say about this school.”
Stromer had initially planned to list his final six schools, but indicated he’d take a patient approach when it came to announcing his college commitment.
“Then with the decision, I’m not sure,” Stromer said. “I’m just trying to focus on getting better and being the best basketball player I can be right now. So I’m grateful and I’m blessed to have all these opportunities and come to all these schools, but I’m just going to try to be patient and take my time a little bit.”
The big shooting guard is leading his Sherman Oaks team through the Southern California Division I regional basketball playoffs. He scored 19 points for the Knights in a 75-50 win over San Marcos on Tuesday.