Point Guard Tradition Makes Gonzaga Attractive For 2015 Guard

One of the keys to Gonzaga's success over the past decade has been great guard play. Whether it was Dan Dickau, or Jeremy Pargo or even last season with Kevin Pangos, the most successful Gonzaga teams have been anchored by versatility in the backcourt.

It shouldn't be a surprise that with the success, GU has become an option for many of the top young guards in the country. While fans are currently focused on the 2013 recruiting class, the Gonzaga staff is already looking for a point guard of the future, with one of the primary options being 2015 PG Kendall Small.

Small plays his high school basketball at Ocean View high school and plays for the Dreamvision AAU club, which is one of the elite clubs in the country. It just so happens that Small has the unique opportunity to play for his father, Don Small, who coaches the Dreamvision U-15 team that Kendall is playing for.

According to Don, Kendall is a throwback point guard that looks to setup his teammates and get others involved in the game.

"He is a pass-first point guard," emphasized Kendall's dad. "I was a point guard myself and played that way. He can really create for others and his court vision is out of this world. He is a complete player though. He can shoot the ball pretty well and he gets to the rim at will. He is also a tenacious defender."

for more on Kendall continue reading after the jump....

Like any guard his age, Kendall is working to develop his body, as well as other specific parts of his game that many players these days don't focus on.

"Like every kid these days, he needs to improve his mid-range game and pull-up jumpers in the lane," Don explained. "He is working on driving and being able to change speed with his dribble and he is also working with a trainer to get quicker and stronger."

Despite growing up in Southern California, Kendall has long been a fan of the Gonzaga program.

"We watch the Zags all the time and I am big fan," Don revealed. "Kendall really likes the guards that have come out of Coach Few's system. He develops guards very well."

Given the interest in Gonzaga and his successful play with Dreamvision in April, it should come as no surprise that the GU coaching staff has already started to express interest in Kendall.

"They (Gonzaga) started to show interest after seeing us in Vegas. Donny Daniels watched us play and he expressed interest in Kendall through our director. They said they will be watching him in July during the live evaluation period, and after that, they will be recruiting him."

Although an offer might not lead to an immediate commitment, Gonzaga will be tough to turn down for Kendall should he receive an offer.

"I've been coaching club for 20 years," explained Kendall's dad. "We aren't going to commit really early, because we are going to take a close look at all options . But we would very much consider it (committing) should he get an offer."

Since his breakout performance in Las Vegas in April, Small has started to receive interest from schools like Portland, UCLA, USC, Oklahoma, Missouri, UW, NAU, Pepperdine, UTEP, Detroit and Washington St. While he has plenty of time to make a decision, a trip to Spokane is certainly something the family has discussed.

"We haven't talked about it yet with the coaches, but we have talked about is as a family," Don said of a visit to Gonzaga. "We are going to do it for sure, and hopefully in the future, he can take an official visit as well".

Here is the summer schedule for Dreamvision and Kendall Small. We will be sure to keep everyone updated on Kendall and his recruitment. We would like to thank Don Small for taking the time for this interview.

Summer Schedule:

Big Showdown: May 19-20

Magic Memorial Day Classic: May 26-28

Pangos All-American Camp: June 1-3

Double Pump Boy's Three Stripes Tournament: July 11-15

Double Pump Boy's Best of The Summer: July 18-22

Adidas Superstar 64: July 25-29