Creighton point guard Ryan Nembhard completed his transfer out of Omaha on Friday, committing to play at Gonzaga.
Wyoming forward Graham Ike also said on Friday that he will play for Gonzaga in 2023-24.
The addition of Nembhard and Ike is welcome news for a Bulldogs team that is losing star Drew Timme, Malachi Smith, Julian Strawther, Rasir Bolton and Anton Watson.
Nembhard told ESPN that he couldn’t note one specific reason as to why he was interested in transferring. He did mention that his brother, Andrew, had plenty of positive things to say after he transferred from Florida to Gonzaga.
“Of course my brother had been telling me for years what a great coach Mark (Few) was,” Ryan Nembhard said. “And it’s obvious Andrew was well prepared for the NBA by Coach Few and all the staff at Gonzaga the two years he was there; he started more games this year as a rookie than any other Pacers rookie has started in over 20 years.
“Winning, development, and overall happiness are all things I’m hunting. Andrew can’t help me find them. I have to do that on my own. Gonzaga is the place for me, I can just tell.”
Ryan Nembhard helped lead the Bluejays to the Elite Eight, where it dropped a 57-55 decision to national championship runner-up San Diego State.
He finished third in the Big East with 4.8 assists per game. He averaged 12.1 points per game in 37 starts this season for Creighton, and contributed 11.8 points and 4.6 assists in 64 starts for Creighton over the past two campaigns.
Ike averaged 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds during the 2021-22 season. The 6-foot-9 Ike was named the preseason Mountain West Player of the Year before sitting out this past season due to an injury to his lower right leg.
“Graham is exactly the big guy we’ve been looking for and in need of for next season,” Few said. “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.”
–Field Level Media
