🏀 How Nolan Hickman has found joy in a journal
How Nolan Hickman has found joy in a journal to navigate — and document — life as Gonzaga's most scrutinized player
In 2022-23, the only time in Hickman’s career when Gonzaga didn’t have a Nembhard at its disposal, Few entrusted his first-year sophomore starter to set up the offense, make the right ball-screen reads, control the tempo and, above all, ensure the basketball eventually found its way into the hands of three-time All-American Drew Timme.
When the team struggled, fans felt the need to identify a scapegoat. That certainly wasn’t going to be Timme, nor was it Julian Strawther, Anton Watson or Rasir Bolton. Hickman, as the next man up on the totem pole, and the youngest one, naturally became an easy target.
I've been impressed with Hickman's performance and overall growth this season. The one quibble I would have with the article is that I was quite disappointed in Bolton and Strawther at times last season. It was clear midway through the season last year that there were guys on the roster (Malachi Smith for sure, Hunter Sallis as a long-term prospect) that should have started over Bolton and we didn't have a Gonzaga-caliber point guard on the roster.
My issue with Strawther was his inconsistency- he had four single-digit games and only cracked 20 points 8 times. In 13 of the 37 games, he scored between 10 and 13 points. I feel like 10 points should be the floor for a potential NBA first rounder and the average should be near 20 ppg. Strawther averaged 15.2 ppg.