Hickman makes it official, signs with Zags

SPOKANE — Gonzaga men's basketball coach Mark Few announced the signing of Nolan Hickman, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound guard from Seattle, to a national letter of intent.

Hickman had announced his intentions on Saturday.

Hickman is the 22nd-ranked player in the class of 2021, and a five-star recruit, according to ESPN. He is the fifth signee in program history to be named a McDonald's All-American, and the third of this Zag recruiting class joining Chet Holmgren and Hunter Sallis.

Hickman was named the Utah player of the year by MaxPreps. He averaged 16 points, 3.3 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game as a senior, earning All-American honors and leading Wasatch Academy (Utah) to a top-10 national ranking and a spot in the Geico Nationals. The Seattle native played at Eastside Catholic in Sammamish, Wash., before finishing his prep career at Wasatch.

Hickman had earlier committed to Kentucky, then decommitted.

“Nolan is going to be a great addition to the program, “Few said. “We’ve been able to watch him over the years in Seattle. He is a really smart point guard, with great skills and a tremendous feel for the game. The biggest thing of all is he is a winner. That’s something we value here, and that’s why I think he’s going to have a great career here.”

Hickman joins one of the best recruiting classes in program history. Fellow incoming signees include the nation’s top overall prospect Holmgren, Sallis (No. 6 ranked recruit) and Kaden Perry (No. 62).