Julian Strawther
.jpg) Strawther with Gonzaga in 2021 | |
| No. 3 – Denver Nuggets | |
|---|---|
| Position | Small forward / shooting guard |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | April 18, 2002 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 205 lb (93 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Liberty (Henderson, Nevada) |
| College | Gonzaga (2020–2023) |
| NBA draft | 2023: 1st round, 29th overall pick |
| Selected by the Indiana Pacers | |
| Playing career | 2023–present |
| Career history | |
| 2023–present | Denver Nuggets |
| 2024 | →Grand Rapids Gold |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Julian Lee Strawther-Cordero (born April 18, 2002) is a Puerto Rican and American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
High school career
[edit]Strawther played basketball for Liberty High School in Henderson, Nevada.[1] As a junior, he averaged 27.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.[2] In his senior season, he averaged 31.5 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game, earning Southeast League co-MVP honors.[3] Strawther scored 51 points against Apollo High School at the HoopHall West Invitational, setting an event record.[4] He left as his school's all-time leader in points and rebounds.[5] A consensus four-star recruit, he committed to playing college basketball for Gonzaga over offers from Marquette, Florida and UNLV.[6]
College career
[edit]As a freshman at Gonzaga, Strawther averaged 3.4 points per game, serving as the backup to Corey Kispert. His team reached the national championship game.[7] On November 15, 2021, he scored 18 points in an 84–57 win over Alcorn State.[8] As a sophomore, Strawther averaged 11.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. He declared for the 2022 NBA draft following the season before ultimately returning to Gonzaga.[9]
On January 28, 2023, Strawther scored a career-high 40 points in an 82–67 victory over Portland.[10] In the 2023 NCAA tournament against UCLA, he made a 35-foot (11 m) basket for the lead with six seconds remaining, and Gonzaga held on for the win to advance to the quarterfinals.[11]
National team career
[edit]Although a native of Las Vegas, Strawther represents Puerto Rico at the international level due to his mother's Puerto Rican ancestry.[12] At the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup, he averaged 22 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, helping his team finish in sixth place. He recorded 40 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in a loss to Russia in the fifth-place game.[13]
Career statistics
[edit]| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
[edit]Regular season
[edit]| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | Denver | 50 | 0 | 10.9 | .369 | .297 | .710 | 1.2 | .9 | .3 | .1 | 4.5 |
| Career | 50 | 0 | 10.9 | .369 | .297 | .710 | 1.2 | .9 | .3 | .1 | 4.5 | |
Playoffs
[edit]| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Denver | 3 | 0 | 5.3 | .333 | .250 | .500 | .7 | .0 | .3 | .0 | 2.3 |
| Career | 3 | 0 | 5.3 | .333 | .250 | .500 | .7 | .0 | .3 | .0 | 2.3 | |
College
[edit]| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | Gonzaga | 25 | 0 | 7.4 | .517 | .321 | .696 | 1.2 | .0 | .2 | .0 | 3.4 |
| 2021–22 | Gonzaga | 32 | 31 | 26.8 | .498 | .365 | .705 | 5.4 | 1.0 | .5 | .2 | 11.8 |
| 2022–23 | Gonzaga | 37 | 37 | 31.2 | .469 | .408 | .776 | 6.2 | 1.3 | .8 | .4 | 15.2 |
| Career | 94 | 68 | 23.4 | .484 | .384 | .745 | 4.6 | .9 | .6 | .2 | 10.9 | |
Personal life
[edit]Strawther was nine years old when his mother, Lourdes, died from breast cancer.[14] His older sister, Paris, played college basketball for UNLV.[15] Strawther's paternal grandfather, Edward, was a lieutenant colonel who served in World War II, and formed the Las Vegas Sentinel, one of two African-American newspapers in Nevada.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ Tritsch, Jon (July 21, 2018). "Julian Strawther: 16 years old and about to turn legendary". KLAS-TV. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
- ^ Meehan, Jim (November 13, 2019). "Longtime commits Julian Strawther, Dominick Harris officially sign with Gonzaga". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
- ^ Orts, Jason (March 20, 2020). "2019-20 Nevada Preps All-Southern Nevada boys basketball team". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
- ^ Burlison, Frank (December 8, 2019). "HoopHall West record collected by Julian Strawther". Burlison on Basketball. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
- ^ Powe, Teresa (November 17, 2021). "Zags Wednesday: Spotlight on Julian Strawther". Pacific Northwest Sports. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
- ^ Gordon, Sam (April 18, 2019). "Liberty basketball star Julian Strawther commits to Gonzaga". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
- ^ Gordon, Sam (March 19, 2021). "Liberty's Julian Strawther relishes run with No. 1 Gonzaga". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
- ^ "Strawther scores 18 as No. 1 Gonzaga tops Alcorn State 84–57". ESPN. Associated Press. November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
- ^ Brewer, Ray (April 18, 2022). "Gonzaga star Las Vegas' Julian Strawther declares for NBA draft". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ^ "Strawther has 40, No. 14 Gonzaga downs Portland 82-67". ESPN. Associated Press. January 28, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ^ Bolch, Ben (March 23, 2023). "Jubilation turns into heartbreak as UCLA loses to Gonzaga again in NCAA tournament". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
- ^ a b Graney, Ed (June 11, 2020). "Activist nature part of Julian Strawther's family history". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
- ^ "Strawther's 40 points ranks tied for ninth in U19 World Cup history". FIBA. July 7, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
- ^ Greene, Brenna (March 9, 2020). "'Everything I do is for her': Gonzaga commit Julian Strawther's late mother impacts him on and off court". KREM. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
- ^ Grimala, Mike (January 16, 2018). "For prized UNLV recruiting target Julian Strawther, growing up is a team effort". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved November 17, 2021.