Gonzaga reloads in frontcourt, signs Wyoming star forward Graham Ike

With the Drew Timme era at Gonzaga over, the Bulldogs took the first big step toward reloading in the frontcourt Friday morning.

Gonzaga signed Wyoming forward Graham Ike, a former Preseason Mountain West Player of the Year who’s been one of the most sought-after big men in the transfer portal for the last month.

“ZAG NATION LET’S GET IT,” Ike posted on his Twitter account Friday morning upon announcing his commitment.

The 6-foot-9, 255-pound forward toured Gonzaga’s campus last weekend – his trip coinciding with the visit of Creighton point guard Ryan Nembhard – and became the second of three coveted transfer portal targets to join the Bulldogs this offseason.

Nembhard, the younger brother of former Gonzaga point guard Andrew Nembhard, committed to the Bulldogs approximately one hour after Ike’s announcement Friday morning.

Gonzaga’s transfer portal haul also includes Eastern Washington guard/forward and reigning Big Sky Player of the Year Steele Venters, who announced a commitment to the Zags two weeks ago.

A handful of the nation’s top programs contacted Ike during the transfer process, including Arkansas, Arizona, Georgetown, Indiana, Kansas, San Diego State, Tennessee, Xavier and West Virginia. Ike also heard from the staff at Washington State, which recruited the Wyoming forward out of Overland High School in Colorado.

“Graham is exactly the big guy we’ve been looking for and in need of for next season,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said in a school release. “After having him up for a visit and meeting he and his mom, he’s just going to be the perfect fit for our program. He is a young man of high character, who is really focused and a hard worker. He has shown himself to be a highly effective player over the years.”

Ike posted Timme-like numbers during the 2021-22 season, averaging 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds. The Aurora, Colorado, native earned All-Mountain West first-team honors and came into the 2022-23 season as the coaches’ choice for preseason player of the year before suffering a lower right leg injury.

The setback was supposed to keep Ike off the court for two months, but he elected to sit out the remainder of the season and use a redshirt year. Ike will have three years of eligibility remaining as a result of playing during the COVID-19-impacted 2020-21 season.

Ike gives Gonzaga another strong low-post scorer at a time when the Bulldogs are searching for ways to replace Timme, a three-time All-American who leaves the program as one of the most accomplished players in program history.

The Wyoming transfer hasn’t scored at the same efficiency level as Timme, making 51% of his shots as a sophomore – his first year as a full-time college starter. But similar to the Timme, Ike can create high-percentage shots around the basket and excels on the offensive glass, pulling down 2.8 offensive rebounds during the 2021-22 season.

Ike finished the year with 14 double-doubles, finishing with 35 points and 14 rebounds against Denver and 33 points and 10 rebounds against eventual MWC champion Boise State. He totaled 17 points and nine rebounds in Wyoming’s opening-round NCAA Tournament loss to Indiana. The Cowboys finished the 2021-22 season with a 25-9 record, but went 9-22 in Ike’s absence last season.

“don’t mind us we just charging back up,” Gonzaga point guard Nolan Hickman wrote on Instagram while sharing Ike’s commitment post.

Timme is the only forward/center from Gonzaga’s core rotation who’s confirmed he won’t be back in 2023-34, despite the option of returning for a fifth year of eligibility. Fellow senior forward Anton Watson is also afforded that option, but hasn’t announced whether he’ll return or pursue a career at the next level. The deadline to declare for the NBA draft is Sunday.

Sophomore forward Ben Gregg, a key bench reserve in 2022-23, is expected to have a bigger role for the Zags after playing a career-high 12.0 minutes per game last year.

Wyoming transfer Graham Ike