SPOKANE, Wash. — Gonzaga's Julian Strawther has declared for the NBA Draft, he announced on his social media channels on Monday, which is also his birthday.
"To my Gonzaga family, I love you all. Whether it is teammates, coaches, or support staff, you all have helped me grow, not only as a player but as a man as well," said Julian in a note he released on Monday. "To Zag Nation, thank you for welcoming me with open arms from the beginning. As soon as I committed to Gonzaga, the support from you all was unconditional. There is truly no place like Gonzaga. Playing in the NBA has been my dream for as long as I can remember. After talking to my family and coaches, I have decided to declare for the 2022 NBA Draft."
The note did not indicate whether Strawther was leaving the door open for a Gonzaga return or if he had signed with an NCAA-certified agent, which would also leave the door open for a return.
Strawther had a lot of NBA Draft buzz early in the season but that cooled as the year progressed. He was not on any of the seven NBA mock drafts KREM looked at, including The Athletic, ESPN, Bleacher Report, or Sports Illustrated.
If Strawther were to return to Gonzaga, he would be one of the leaders of the team next season. This past year he averaged 11.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in his first season starting. He would also be in line to be one of, if not the, main threat from three for the Zags as he shot 36.5% from beyond the arc last year.
The deadline to withdraw from the draft is June 1 at 8:59 PM PT.