Rasir Bolton was the first of the Zags testing the NBA draft waters to announce his return to the Bulldogs, with his announcement followed closely by Julian Strawther and Drew Timme. That series of announcements, starting with Bolton, completely changed the complexion of Gonzaga’s offseason and solidified the team’s 2022-23 championship aspirations.
Bolton’s decision to transfer to Gonzaga last season was a boon for both the basketball program, and more importantly, the larger Spokane community. The 6’3” guard seamlessly transitioned into the squad and started all 32 games alongside Andrew Nembhard in the backcourt. After enduring losing campaigns on flawed teams at Penn State and Iowa State, Bolton looked invigorated playing for Gonzaga as he won as many games in his first season with the Zags (28) as he did in his previous three seasons combined.