Pangos commits to Gonzaga; rounds out the 2011 class?
by Zach Bell on Oct 5, 2010 9:30 PM PDT
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If Gonzaga's 2011 recruiting class was missing anything, it was a little international flair. Three of Mark Few's previous four recruiting classes have included a player from outside the United States and that trend continues with the addition of Canada's Kevin Pangos to the 2011 class.
In 2007, Mark Few scored Robert Sacre from Canada, in 2009 he brought in Canadians Manny Arop, Bol Kong, and Kelly Olynyk along with Germany's Elias Harris and in 2010 he welcomed French guard Mathis Keita and German wing Mathis Monninghoff. Pangos' addition to the 2011 class is a huge get for the staff and he will be a key contributor in Spokane for a long time.
Unlike a Manny Arop or Kelly Olynyk; Kevin Pangos never seemed to fly under the radar. The first time I had heard of Kevin he was already being compared to Steve Nash. The hype has not ceased yet and I don't expect it to now that Pangos is a Gonzaga Bulldog. Don't get me wrong, the 6'2'' point guard has done his fair share to earn such praise. From averaging 15 points a game in the recent FIBA U-17 games and being named the top point guard in the tournament to becoming the youngest Canadian to ever compete in a senior men's international game; Kevin seems to fit the bill in terms of a big time point guard.
After the jump, we will examine what we know about Kevin and piece together what appears to be a completed 2011 recruiting class for Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
For all intents and purposes, Kevin Pangos appears to fit the phrase "pure point guard" to perfection. I've probably read 20 articles regarding Pangos over the past hour to try and cram as much information in my head as possible. When I think about all these articles, there is definitely a few common themes/descriptions regarding Kevin. The first one is: leader, floor general, and extremely high basketball IQ. A quote from DraftExpress:
There's something very comforting about having your point guard be your unquestioned team leader. Even though the end result wasn't always perfect, I always felt confident that Jeremy Pargo was the unquestioned leader when he ran point at Gonzaga. A season ago, I felt that there was a major void in terms of a player that everyone knew would put the team on their back. By these accounts, it sounds like Pangos has plenty of experience with taking teams and elevating them to the next level by making plays and being a great leader. The description above almost sounds like Pargo's will and drive combined with Matt Bouldin's on court-savvy and raw play making ability. These traits are what has made Kevin such a widely respected prospect.
Sometimes lost in the praise over his ability to manage a team and make great decisions are Kevin's actual basketball skills. I love this quote from a recent Scout.com article:
The other thing he can do, he can really shoot the ball. Every time it comes out of his hands you think it’s going in
Max and I have been watching reports on Pangos very closely over the past three years and his progression as a shooter has been astounding. When we first heard about him, his strengths were basketball IQ but his weaknesses were his shooting ability and size. Now, one of his greatest strengths is as a shooter. DraftExpress describes Kevin as someone who thrives in pull-up situations rather than taking the ball straight to the rim. His mid-range game is without a doubt his greatest strength as a shooter and, when you combine that with his innate ability to locate assists in traffic, it is easy to see why he was such a highly coveted prospect.
There will inevitably be growing pains with any recruit and Kevin's situation is particularly interesting because their was some thought about him attending prep school for a year and being a member of the 2012 recruiting cycle. With his decision to come straight after high school, you have to wonder if a redshirt season is in the cards. Mark Few will have eight guards at his disposal next year so it will be interesting to see what the staff decides to do with the 2011 group as a whole. Gary Bell appears to be a shoe-in to play right away with his athletic ability and defensive prowess but Dranginis and Pangos will be one's to watch.
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legit concerns
about frontcourt in next couple years… likely we have Sacre one more year, and in two years Dower, Oly, Spangler, and hopefully a couple of 2012 bigs…. I like it though. College game more guard driven than any, and Bell, Pangos, Dranginis, Arop, Keita, Hyland etc are guys I like going to battle with. Hey, recruiting is largely a blind stab, but open your eyes, and you can see our direction. I dont remember us being manhandled down low sincwe MSU in the tourney Dickau’s junior ? year. Since then, I think we’ve largely got beat on the perimeter, and Few is RECTIFYING
by mattzag72 on Oct 5, 2010 9:57 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
Gonzaga goes through point guards like it ain't no thang!
Less than a month to go. Aaahh … Can’t wait!
Chris Sarbaugh
You guys know anything about this kid Sarbaugh who committed to GU a few weeks ago? ESPN has him but none of the other sites do. Mentioned here in Spokesman article: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/oct/06/point-guard-headed-to-gu/
What's great about this...
How much confidence must the staff have in Sam Dower and Kelly Olynyk moving forward? They’re not running around trying to find a bunch of “just in case” bigs because they know Sam and KO have what it takes to get it done for the Zags for the next few years. Spangler in 2011 will help and then expect a bunch of new bigs in 2012.
I can almost guarantee that one will be from across the pond with plenty of experience against serious competition.
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Bigs
If your talking 2012 or 2013, more than likely it will be a JC transfer, IMO. Possibly a Big in 2012 if any are available. The problem is, most of the time they are the ones that redshirt and take time to develop. Hence my point, who’ll get a rebound for us in 2013? We’re not set up well for the future in Big’s, IMO. Injuries anybody? The gamble is that GU plays injury free with the Bigs for 2 more years……………not sure I like the odds! I do however, like Mr. Pangos and believe he will be an asset. Just pointing out the obvious.
by mikesequim on Oct 6, 2010 7:58 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
2012 BIGS
So in 2012 we lose at least 3 to graduation. I would think that you wil see them brought in at that time. Maybe one JC, another from Europe, and lastly one from here. That should give them time to have some of them ready to help Dower and Spangler in 2013, IMO.
Who rebounds for Gonzaga now?
:)
I think Dower will be a better rebounder than many think and it sounds like Spangler is an absolute windex man. You’re right though, Mike. The Zags will need an instant impact big to bolster the front line in the 2012 class.
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"Windex man."
Haven’t heard that one before. Love it.
Harris and Arop...
Hopefully Dower will be added to the list…and with a bit of magic pixie dust maybe Sacre.
Sacre?
Where is Sacre going after next year? Pleez
Year of the Guard
2010 4 Guards
2011 3 Guards and one 4
2012 — ???
Now the quality of these recruits (Guards) is unquestionably some of the best in the history of the program. One should not complain.
How best to use these guys (and PT?)? Didn’t we just go through this scenario?
Well 4 guard offenses have worked for other teams. Maybe that’s where we will end up in 2012 and 2013.
I guess that’s why I’m not doing recruiting for a living. I am certain I have no clue about what’s going on at this point.
mjc
I'm not worried
For starters, if worse comes to worst people will transfer…I think that this is a successful attempt to overhaul the program’s backcourt after a few lackluster years. It’s also clearly a case of taking the best talent available. I would much rather have the luxury of “encouraging” guys to transfer than settling at the guard position
I’m excited to see a Zags team that can shoot the lights out from beyond the arc and eat teams up inside (Olynyk is going to develop into a beast) while featuring lock down defenders and elite athletes. Olynyk, Spangler, Arop, Sacre, and Monninghoff seems pretty solid to me.
Yeah
Plus the staff was probably feeling pretty good about getting W on the team — that would have been our big in this recruiting class.
Well if things don’t work out for him in the land of KFC his buddy now plays at Gonzaga. We have seen guys transfer after that first year or two in the past now haven’t we?
mjc
mjc
Very pleased!
I am so glad to hear this! I LOVE the idea of Pangos, GBJ and Kyle D…throw in some Hyland…that is a great core of guards who can really shoot the ball!
To be honest, this is as good of a get as GBJ..IMO just for the fact that with Pangos we give GBJ..and the rest of the team.. a true PG who can distribute the ball to them.
ESPN just upgraded Pangos on their recruiting page
He was just rated a 93, a 4 star recruit and the 29th best PG of the class. By the time Few is done with him I think he will prove to be one of the top players in the class but at this point it is certainly better than a 40 who is completely off the radar.
Wow
This is going to be such a huge class, I’m so excited!
I am wondering though a) who will be red shirting and b) who will be transferring. While the latter question will be harder to predict, I think that some of you on this board could come up with likely red shirt scenarios.
I don’t see either Bell or Pangos red-shirting, as both are elite prospects who figure to contribute right away. In this case, it’s pretty much a no-brainer that Dranginis will sit out his first year.
As far as next season, it seems to me that it’s either Keita or Hyland (perhaps both?) will red shirt given the presence of Meech, Carter, and Gray in the back court. I imagine that Monninghoff will come in from time to time to eat up some minutes in a role similar to Foster’s last year (hopefully with better results).
It’ll be interesting to see how Meech’s playing time fairs his senior year.
KD redshirting?
Have you seen him play? GB and KD comparison…………….GB is more developed, stronger to the hoop and a solid shot. KD is a better passer as good a defender, better rebounder! Ball handling skills about the same, IMO. If KD progresses this year, how do you redshirt him? It’s a nice position to have 7 guards that can play but your right about redshirting, I just wouldn’t put KD there yet, again, JMO.
What about Pangos?
Between Pangos and KD, who gets the spot (assuming there’s only one spot)?
Pango's
Have not seen him play. Therefore, I can equate him to the others. I’m sure others could speak to that.
What a great problem to have
This is really a great problem to have considering how the guard situation looked coming into this season. I think that the groundwork is being laid for something very special here (which will only help future recruiting).
Its such a crapshoot
So much development takes place in a HS players senior year so who knows? With GBJ, Dranginis and Hyland successors to Grey and Meech and Carter seniors at the point next year it would seem that (much as I hate to say it) Pangos may be likely to redshirt. Thoughts on this?
There's a redshirt in there somewhere
or a transfer. We’re at the point now, with all these young guards, that scholarships are literally a one year contract. The staff’s recruiting is indicative of the point that we are willing to bring in a kid that we think will develop but if they don’t see it, they’ll be out the door.
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Why not RS Spangler?
From what I have read, he has not ever placed full emphisis on one sport and has not spent a ton of time in the gym. If he was RS it would give him that time to do so and be even better, not to mention give him time to be in the program longer….
Seems to me we will have Sacre, Olynk, Dower, Manny (rebounding) in 2011-12 as well as three open spots and Olynk, Dower, Manny and then a better Spangler in 2012-13.
I realize this gives us lots of guards but to have 2 seniors in Meech and Carter and be able to sub in the young guys without having to lean on them totally would be a huge plus for us….
Maybe I am missing something….?
Sacre...
so you guys don’t see him leaving for the NBA or Europe?
I am certainly not convinced he is good enough but you see some mock drafts out there that think he is 2nd round NBA draft material for 2011.
He seems to have the physical tools and potential, but he has so far not played like it.
He seems like a guy who would leave if he had a good shot at it.
PS
Congrats for Pangos by the way – he comes with some hype in Canada. I hope it is not misplaced Great White Hype and he is as good a recruit as kids like Myck Kabongo and Corey Joseph. Few seems to have a lock on Canucks even though it seems like Texas is stepping on his turf.
I shall claim to represent all Canadians, so please send all thank you gifts for past, present and future Canadian recruits my way please.
Second Round Pick -- no worries
Austin Daye had the system pegged about right. In essence if you are not a first round pick and the first half of the first round, you probably should stay in college and try to improve your stock. It can make a huge difference.
Also, by 2011 the NBA rules / contracts may look a lot different than they do now.
I would really be surprised if Sacre didn’t stick around for his Senior year.
But you never know, if he leads the Zags to a National Championship this year, I suspect the interest in his services may improve.
mjc
Sacre
I don’t think he’ll ever go pro. The draft boards always have a ton of guys who don’t end up making it, which makes sense given that they are almost entirely based on guessing (especially in the second round).
If you look at the kind of guys that go in the second round, you see a lot of European guards/forwards and international bigs. The conventional wisdom seems to be that it is better to take on a freakishly athletic foreign athlete than a mediocre NCAA player.
There’s always D-League and International though.
what you don’t think his stint on the Canadian Nat team has turned him into a 15pt/10rb/4blk beast?
Ya me neither…one can dream though. He has the potenial for vast improvement at least.
Now KO could be a different story and you may see a huge break out there…
KO
I’ll be shocked if KO doesn’t eventually go pro, he appears to have what it takes and played well in the FIBA tourney. He reminds me a lot of a more coachable Austin Daye.
Tough Scenario
All these guys, Dranginis, Bell, and Pangos are talented in different ways…I guess just see how they develop this year. The staff will then decide who will mesh better on the court together. Dranginis has been compared to a Blake Stepp, and that is very appealing. I hope we can keep all of them. I think geting Keita hurts this scenario a bit because he is such an unknown…To be honest I see Pangos getting the redshirt..IMO. Hyland is another unknown as well, He looks like a stud in the videos I have seen, but then again that wast the most elite competition. WIll see.
redshirts and walkons
This is to me is our most exciting class ever. I am frothing at the mouth thinking about KD, GBJ, and Pangos in the backcourt over the next 4/5 years. And I think Hyland will be a major contributor as well down the road coming off the bench? But I can’t figure out how Stockton, Keita, Sarbough will fit in to the mix. Even Monninghoff is basically a guard. There is no way Pangos or GBJ redshirts. These guys will be instant contributors. KD is extremely skilled but needs to add strength, I see this as a reason to possibly redshirt him. It’s just hard for me to see 3 freshman in the backcourt all at once. I also think our frontcourt looks much better than people are giving cred for down the road. When these guys are Sophmores. Dower will be a junior, Olynk a Senior, and Spangler a Soph as well. Throw in Arop a Senior and this team seems like one that can control the paint defensively and be scarry good on the offensive side.
I agree it looks good now but
Injuries, sickness and attrition can really through a wrench into that equation! We need “Bigs”!
by mikesequim on Oct 7, 2010 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I want to see Pangos play for us much as anyone
but how much PT is he likely to see as a freshman behind Meech and Carter?
Stockton and Sarbough
They’re not gonna play. Aren’t they both walk-ons? Every team has practice players (a la Mike Hart).
These guys are just money in the bank
I like Mike Hart — I was more than a little impressed that we would see a guy this good as a walk on.
I will never count out someone named Stockton — others have done this and looked rather foolish.
Finally, Sarbough isn’t a nobody. I’m not sure how he will stack up in terms of athleticism — in fairness I have not seen him play against top competition. Others have indicated that he does indeed have what it takes — if so, Mr. Sarbough may be a diamond in the rough.
mjc
I'm not holding my breath
Given the talent we currently have and are continuing to attract, I don’t see them getting the chance to develop.
With that being said, Adam Morrison was a local product who was largely written off (although not by those like myself who were fortunate enough to see him play in HS). I haven’t seen these guys play but given the lack of buzz and the fact that they haven’t been given scollies, I wouldn’t expect too much.
ESPN's TAKE
Strengths:
Pangos has a solid frame with good length and he has very good quickness and speed. He can burst off the dribble to get where he needs to go and there is no wasted motion in his game. He has a nice crossover to get by his defender and he is a potent shooter beyond the arc. He can get his shot off pulling up in transition or off of one or two dribbles in the half court set. Once attacking the defense he is a very good passer and makes others around him better.
Weaknesses:
Pangos, at times, can be turnover prone. He plays at a fast pace that sometimes causes him to force the action too much. In addition, he has a quick trigger on offense and sometimes settles too much for the 3-point shot. Physically, he has solid size, but he may struggle guarding physically imposing (speed, strength, superior quickness) at the next level.
Bottom line:
Gonzaga has done it again with the commitment of Pangos. There may not be another program in the nation that identifies hidden gems early on in the process like the Zags. Due to his playing style (transition-oriented) and shooting prowess, Pangos should make an immediate impact early on his career.
Pangos could possibly redshirt
This would not surprise me at all. He’s extremely skilled but still a project physically and athletically in some ways. Remember, he considered attending prep school and no one really knew until he committed whether or not he’d be a 2011 or 2012 recruit.
It might be a longshot but with so much skill and experience in the backcourt, there would be MUCH to gain from Kevin redshirting. He could push the guys in practice, play against some very skilled and athletic guards all season, and focus on improving his athleticism and strength.
We’ll see, it is going to be very interesting. What a class.
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I tend to agree with you
but for other reasons.
Pangos appears to be very serious about his academic opportunities. Lets face it, playing D-1 ball for Gonzaga is not entirely compatible with carrying a full load during the basketball season.
If Pangos can get a full year of academics under his belt before hitting the road with the rest of the team he will be able to take 12 credits the rest of the way and still achieve his academic goals.
mjc
This may be far fetched
Just thinking,KD is very long and has the potential to add a few more inches..and I think he is around 6’5 right now. Do you think there is a possibility for him to play the 3 in the future?? I wonder if this is in the coaches minds….
Add Kevin to commit list
it will be nice to see Kevin on the commit list with a pic. And also the kid from G Prep. This class makes me forget about Kyle Wiltjer going to Kentucky.
Commit list...
Not to be picky but, poor Kyle Dranginis has not yet been updated w/ his “stars” on the Slipper’s commit list, a la Scout.com w/ 3 of them?
I mean it looks so niice with everyone flashing all their stars and all, but I’m just sayin.
Its gonna be gLoRiOUS!!~
KD
close sources have told me that KD is an “absolute stud”. had he waited, he would have had many high major programs after him.
He montanazag?
Your right up the freeway aren’t you? Take the drive down to watch him play. You’ll be glad you did!
Well then...
Lets use basic math here….round up! We got us a 5 star recruit! Sweet.
Zach- you are the best, ask and ye shall receive …thank you for the speedy star update on Kyle Dranginis!!
Its gonna be gLoRiOUS!!~
I might just have to do that.
6/8 hrs from Billings. Still quite a drive. But when you live in the BigSky state everything is. I always read what you have to say about KD. I know you are a big proponent of his. It feels as if many others on this site aren’t as excited about him, but from what I have read and heard, He has a chance to leave a major mark on this program. I might just have to go see for myself this coming year.
He's a 4 year player at GU barring injuries.
He’s not a Dan D. or Jeremy P. or Matt B. or a Gary B.! He’s a hybrid of those players. He just does everything well, not Super this or that just everything well. The only knock I have on him so far is, he reminds me of Steven’s “deferring” attitude to others on the floor in a quiet kind of way. Steven never got over that from his HS years as a Soph through his GU years including last year. I just haven’t seen KD enough to judge his mental toughness yet when asked to be “the man”. I expected Steven’s to change but I’m still waiting. I will have a better feel for KD after his Senior year in HS.
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