College basketball 2022-23: When you live among the giants of Gonzaga basketball, you sometimes need to celebrate it

My brother and I ran into John Stockton the other night at the Davenport Hotel.

He couldn’t have been more funny or gracious. As we chatted, a young guy next to us patiently waited for his opening to meet the NBA Hall of Famer.

“I can’t believe it. I’m your biggest fan,” he told him. “I tell my kids all the time that the greatest point guard ever lives in Spokane.”

It doesn’t get any more Gonzaga legend than that.

I bring this up because we’re in the presence of more Gonzaga greatness.

Regardless of what happens when he finally embarks on a pro career, current GU standout Drew Timme has already established himself among the ultimate of Zags.

Affable and accessible, Timme has carved a place among Gonzaga’s elite, not only with his incredible play on the court, but also his personality, his wit and his charm.

Today, in our annual college basketball preview section, we take a deep dive into Timme’s legacy, one that’s still being built.

Reporter Jim Meehan talks with Mark Few and rival West Coast Conference coaches about Timme’s place in history and what makes him so special.

Columnist Dave Boling writes that regardless of who you think is the greatest player in GU history, Timme’s legacy as a “Zag for all eras” is firmly cemented.

In addition, Theo Lawson and I poll celebrities, former players and media types in our quest to find the “Ultimate Zag,” the player who most embodies the spirit of Gonzaga basketball. Not surprisingly, Timme’s came up there as well, as did at least a dozen others all worthy to wear the crown.

If you haven’t guessed, this section celebrates much of the past. Don’t miss Charles Apple’s Further Review, breaking down Gonzaga’s top women’s and men’s players in history.

Jim Allen explores the pantheon of women’s basketball at GU, from Courtney Vandersloot, whose number will eventually go up in the rafters at McCarthey Athletic Center, to Heather Bowman and others.

In addition, Lawson and Allen preview the Gonzaga men’s and women’s basketball seasons with projected starting lineups, surprises and predictions.

Reporters Colton Clark, Dan Thompson, Peter Harriman and Justin Reed pick up the rest, previewing every college basketball program from Spokane to Pullman, Cheney to Moscow to Coeur d’Alene.

Washington State men’s and women’s teams, as well as the Eastern Washington men and Idaho women, all have legitimate NCAA Tournament ambitions. The Whitworth men have their sights set on postseason play as well.

We hope you have an hour or two to dive into Friday’s print section. It’s also pretty legendary.