Transfer Portal Profiles: Ryan Nembhard, Gonzaga
Gonzaga continues to have a field day in the transfer portal by acquiring former Creighton guard Ryan Nembhard. The Bulldogs are reloading after a few departures this offseason, and this is the biggest one yet.
We discuss Nembhard’s game and his fit with Gonzaga in this edition of Transfer Portal Profiles.
Career at Creighton
Nembhard spent his two seasons at Creighton blossoming into a bonified star at point guard. He was immediately thrown into the fire in his freshman season, starting all 27 games for a Creighton team that gave the eventual national champion Kansas Jayhawks a run for their money in the Round of 32. The sky was the limit for the Canadian heading into his sophomore campaign, and he lived up to the billing. His shooting, rebounding, and playmaking all increased in 2022-23. He showed his ceiling as a scorer with a 30-point outburst in their second-round victory over Baylor in the NCAA Tournament. Nembhard will provide a team with a battle-tested backcourt weapon that can confidently lead an offense.
Scouting Report
It was clear that shooting was a priority for Nembhard last offseason after going 40 percent from the floor and 31 percent from three in his freshman season. He steadily improved those numbers a season ago, knocking down 43.2 percent of his shots, 35.6 percent of his triples, and 87.1 percent from the free-throw line. He is above-average at finding lanes to the rim and finishing off-balance, forcing defenders to play off their back foot. That’s where his improving shooting can come into play. He proved throughout his sophomore season that giving him the space to shoot on the perimeter can be costly, making him a tough matchup for any on-ball defender.
The Fit With Gonzaga
Nembhard has chosen to follow in the footsteps of his older brother and NBA player Andrew Nembhard and transfer to Gonzaga. This is a difference-maker across the landscape of college basketball. He should slot into the starting lineup for head coach Mark Few and be a part of a team that could contend for a national championship. He will join Nolan Hickman in the backcourt as part of a team accruing talent. The headlines asked how the Bulldogs would replace the production of frontcourt superstar Drew Timme; they may have their answer in Spokane.
Check out some of our other Transfer Portal Profiles: Kerr Kriisa, West Virginia | LJ Cryer, Houston | Walter Clayton Jr., Florida
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