Top international prospect Toohey picks Zags

Top planetary hoops imaginable Alex Toohey has committed to the Gonzaga Bulldogs, helium told ESPN connected Tuesday.

"Gonzaga stood retired with their past of winning and making planetary players better," Toohey said. "Being capable to larn from a large manager successful Mark Few volition beryllium special."

Toohey picked Gonzaga implicit Villanova, Michigan and Davidson aft taking authoritative visits with his parents to each 4 schools successful October. Duke, Florida, Illinois and others besides showed involvement successful the versatile 6-foot-8 tiny forward.

The 18-year-old Australian is considered 1 of the astir promising planetary prospects committing to the assemblage way successful the Class of 2023, having already made a debut with his elder nationalist squad successful FIBA contention successful February 2021. He joined the Boomers again for their FIBA World Cup qualifiers successful August, scoring 12 points successful 17 minutes of action, and has been invited backmost to correspond Australia successful an further FIBA qualifying model this week, a rarity for a subordinate his age.

Toohey has been processing for the past 2 years astatine the NBA Global Academy successful Canberra, but didn't afloat look arsenic a top-shelf imaginable until this past July with an explosive showing astatine the NBA Academy Games successful Atlanta, wherever helium led Academy players successful scoring and finished 2nd successful steals and 5th successful rebounding portion shooting 60% from the field.

Toohey's operation of size, consciousness for the game, toughness and quality to play each implicit the level gives him important imaginable arsenic a assemblage subordinate and could yet assistance him look arsenic an NBA imaginable astatine Gonzaga arsenic well. Playing up by 3 years astatine the Australian U20 State Championship past April, helium was utilized arsenic a superior shot handler starring the tourney successful assists with 6.3 per game, portion besides emerging arsenic 1 of the champion rebounders astatine the lawsuit (8.6 per game). Toohey besides competed against professionals successful the Australian NBL1 competition, his country's 2nd division, wherever helium showed notable betterment arsenic a perimeter shooter (44% 3P%) portion helping his Centre of Excellence squad to an awesome 11-2 grounds successful games helium participated, averaging 13.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 steals successful 23 minutes per game, shooting 58% from the field.

Toohey says the level of contention of assemblage hoops appealed to him, arsenic good arsenic the anticipation of playing for a nationalist title astatine Gonzaga.

"One of the astir important things to maine is the anticipation of gathering thing peculiar arsenic a team," Toohey said. "Coming from Australia, wherever we pridefulness ourselves connected having large teams alternatively of large individuals, I spot that civilization successful college. That's what makes Australians bully players, being capable to assistance teams win; that's what gets players recognized."

Toohey is the latest successful a enactment of notable players to travel retired of the NBA Academy system, which was lone established successful 2017, but has already emerged arsenic 1 of the astir prolific pathways for elite planetary endowment to utilize arsenic steppingstones to making the NBA, counting lottery picks Josh Giddey, Bennedict Mathurin, Dyson Daniels among its alumni the past 2 years. Toohey says the enactment they behaviour successful signifier successful Canberra is the cardinal down the sizeable occurrence its graduates are enjoying successful the assemblage hoops and nonrecreational ranks.

"It's the mentation and enactment we enactment successful astatine training, on with the absorption connected the value country and recovery," Toohey said. "All erstwhile players I've spoken with accidental 'it's the hardest practices you'll person successful your career.' The coaches perpetually punctual america of what we're getting acceptable for. We've been taught what it takes to beryllium pros. That's what has allowed truthful galore Academy graduates to transcend expectations."

Toohey volition walk further clip successful the U.S. anterior to enrolling astatine Gonzaga adjacent summertime astatine the Tarkanian Classic and NBA Academy G League Winter Showcase successful Las Vegas adjacent month, arsenic good arsenic with a imaginable invitation to the Nike Hoop Summit successful Portland successful April.

Toohey is the 2nd committedness Gonzaga has received successful the Class of 2023, joining sharpshooting helping Dusty Strohmer, ESPN's No. 48 recruit, who hails from Southern California. With seniors Drew Timme, Malachi Smith and Anton Watson graduating, and projected 2nd circular picks Julian Strawther and Nolan Hickman perchance disconnected to the NBA ranks, the Zags inactive person enactment to bash looking towards adjacent season, which whitethorn yet beryllium conducted mostly via the NCAA transportation portal.

Jonathan Givony is an NBA draught adept and the laminitis and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a backstage scouting and analytics work utilized by NBA, NCAA and International teams.