Brendan Bailey Talks Gonzaga

Versatility on the offensive end has long been a staple of the Gonzaga offense. At nearly every position, the Zags have routinely featured players who can score the ball from multiple positions on the court. After picking up a commitment from one of the most skilled big men in the 2016 class, the coaching staff is looking to add another talented piece.

Brendan Bailey is a highly-skilled wing out of Highland, Utah. After initially committing to Arizona St., Bailey opened up his recruitment after the firing of Herb Sendek. Gonzaga has been pursuing him ever since, and a key step in the relationship occurred this summer, when Bailey took an unofficial visit to Spokane.

"I thought it was a really cool place," The 4-star wing said of Gonzaga. "I got to hand out with the coaches a little bit and also the players because I played some pickup ball when I was there. It was nice, because nobody really had a huge ego and everyone was very chill. I was sitting on the floor with my team and Coach Few came and chatted with me and we didn't talk about basketball at all."

This approach to recruiting from the Gonzaga staff has been something that has really appealed to Bailey.

"It's a lot different than most of the other schools," Bailey said of his recruitment from Gonzaga. "When I talk to Coach Few, sometimes we don't even talk about basketball. Instead it's really just to talk about how I am doing and what's new with me. I actually really like how they recruit. They put less pressure on you but they make sure you know how interested they are."

The talented wing is coming off an impressive summer on the AAU circuit, where he was able to showcase his evolving offensive game.

"Overall, I thought the summer was really good. I was trying to work on getting to the basket a lot more and showing that I can finish at the rim or at the free throw line. I wanted to show that I have all the ability on the offensive end."

Now that the AAU season has concluded, the American Fork star has turned his focus to recruiting. He recently named a top 5 that included Gonzaga, as well as Utah, Michigan, San Diego St. and Marquette.

"I like Gonzaga because of the really great relationship I have with Coach Michaelson, and I have been talking with Coach Few a lot," Bailey revealed. "I felt really comfortable when I was up there and I loved the area and facilities. It's a great schools and the academics are also really good, which is important to me They also have a great fan base."

Next up for Bailey is his official visit to Gonzaga, which will take place during Kraziness In The Kennel.

"We have setup an official visit to go to Gonzaga in October," said the key GU target. "With Utah, I don't think I will take an official visit since it's right in my backyard and I have been there so many times. For my timeline to make my decision, I am going to take my remaining visits and then decide soon after."

One aspect that will be a key factor for Bailey in his decision is how he would fit in with the team, as well as how the school has worked with his type of skill set.

"I know that Gonzaga puts players in the NBA and they really develop them while they are in college," he explained. "They will develop you and make you a better player and a smarter player. The success they have had with guys like me has been good and that is something that you always have to look for. If a school is not used to having someone like you, it can make you just an experiment or a project if they don't know what they are doing. I know Gonzaga has had a lot of success with my skill type."

Along with the Gonzaga coaching staff, Bailey has been hearing from a couple of the recent commits, including one who will join him on his visit.

"I've become close with Zach (Collins) this summer and he has been talking to me about coming to Gonzaga. Jesse (Wade) and I have known each other for a long time. I think that knowing people going into college would be just amazing since you wouldn't feel out of place and it would just make you more comfortable around everything."