The first Crystal Ball prediction for No. 1 overall basketball recruit Chet Holmgren has been logged, and it's in favor of an unlikely team.
247Sports recruiting analyst Travis Branham put in a Crystal Ball prediction for Gonzaga on Thursday morning, the first prediction to be placed on Holmgren's page. The Zags are undefeated in the 2020-21 season so far and look like the favorites to win the national championship, but — despite their sustained success on the court — they've never had a recruiting run quite like the one they seem on pace for in this cycle.
Earlier in the month, Branham logged a Crystal Ball pick in favor of Gonzaga for Hunter Sallis, a major Kentucky target and the No. 6 overall player — and No. 1 point guard — in the 2021 class. National analyst Jerry Meyer and others later added Gonzaga picks on Sallis' page.
Landing either Holmgren or Sallis would give Gonzaga its highest-ranked commitment ever, and it appears the Zags have a great shot at both players for next season.
Holmgren — a 7-foot, 190-pound prospect from Minnesota — also has Georgetown, Memphis, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina and Ohio State on his list, with the Big Ten programs in that group also expected to play a major role in his recruitment. The G League route could also be a possibility for Holmgren, who has not yet set a timetable for his college decision.
Kentucky never seriously recruited Holmgren, who is ranked No. 1 nationally in the 2021 class by both 247Sports and ESPN. He is seen as the nation's best shot blocker and has a unique offensive game, capable of shooting 3s and handling the ball, often playing on the perimeter with his 7-foot frame.
Holmgren is a friend and former teammate of Jalen Suggs, who has excelled as a freshman at Gonzaga so far this season. Suggs was the No. 11 recruit in the 2020 class.
