Zags’ Strawther declares for NBA draft again

SPOKANE — Julian Strawther, who hit the biggest shot of the season for the Gonzaga Bulldogs this past season, has declared for the NBA draft, he announced Monday on Twitter.

Strawther also declared for the draft last year, but pulled out prior to the deadline.

Strawther, a 6-foot-7 forward from Las Vegas, averaged 16.1 points and 5.8 rebounds as a junior this past season for the Zags, who reached the West Region final of the NCAA tournament. In the semifinal, his deep 3-pointer in the waning seconds lifted Gonzaga past UCLA.

After playing sparingly as a freshman, he averaged 11.8 points per game in 2021-22, starting 31 of 32 games. He started all 28 games for the Zags this season, and was the team’s second-leading scorer.

Strawther joins several members of last year’s Gonzaga team who will not be back.

Drew Timme opted not to return for a fifth year. Rasir Bolton exhausted his eligibility, and Dominick Harris, Hunter Sallis and Efton Reid III all entered the transfer portal.

Gonzaga did add a player last week when Steele Venters said last week he was transferring from Eastern Washington to GU.