Farewell to Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga’s maestro takes a final bow

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Ryan Nembhard was never supposed to come to Gonzaga. When he entered the transfer portal after two standout seasons at Creighton, all signs pointed to Arizona. His older brother, Andrew, had been a Zag—sure—but it was Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd who had recruited him there, and it seemed only natural Ryan would end up a Wildcat.

But Nembhard chose Gonzaga.

It was a stunner. One of the best passers in college basketball, a heady (if undersized) floor general with elite vision, was headed to Spokane. To say it was a welcome surprise doesn’t quite capture it. For fans already reeling from the news about Graham Ike’s commitment earlier that same day, it was a coup.

Ike and Nembhard on committing to #Gonzaga together in April.

Ike: “I was in the bus on the way here and I’m just like, I’m so grateful I’m here with this squad.”

Nembhard: “We were locked in on our visit and we knew what we could do if we came here. Super glad we came to GU.” pic.twitter.com/fz03nzxkgM

— Theo Lawson (@TheoLawson_SR) March 3, 2024

It took just a few weeks for Ryan to get fully up to speed with Gonzaga’s system, but from that point on, Ryan Nembhard delivered—playmaking, leading, directing traffic like he’d been running Mark Few’s offense for years. It was shocking to see a player suit up for the Zags and make the team their own so quickly and so decisively. But “quick” and “decisive” are probably also the two best words one can use to describe Ryan.

Ryan’s highlight reel of head-spinning dimes is impressive, certainly. For me, though, the moment that defined Nembhard’s time as a Zag came late this past season, in the fire of the NCAA Tournament. After a blown defensive rotation and a questionable foul call, tempers flared. Houston was pressing. Gonzaga was unraveling. Graham Ike—emotional, frustrated, and seconds from drawing a costly technical—looked like he was about to snap. It was among the most tense and anxiety-inducing moments of an…

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Publish date : 2025-04-02 21:00:00

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