Nolan Hickman is an anomaly in college basketball nowadays, staying at the same school for all four years. That’s what made him so special to the Gonzaga community, that and his willingness to do whatever the team asked of him. Whether that meant coming off the bench, bringing the ball up, or playing at the shooting guard spot. He did it all during his time in Spokane.
As he tries to gain the attention of professional scouts and general managers at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in Virginia right now, Hickman took some time to announce on Instagram that he will be entering his name in the NBA Draft along with a heartfelt message to all the Zags out there.
In his senior campaign, Hickman was nearly close to joining the 50-40-90 club. He scored 10.9 points per game on a shooting split of a 47.8 field goal percentage/44.5 three-point percentage/93.1 three-point percentage. The 6-2, 190-pound combo guard put together one of the most efficient shooting seasons that a Zag has ever had thanks to his versatility as a scoring threat. He chipped in 2.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game as well.
In three straight seasons with the Zags, Hickman was continuously able to get in the passing lanes and snag 1.0 steals per game. He started 105 of his 139 games in a Gonzaga uniform and reached the 1,000-point club during the Battle 4 Atlantis in 2024.
The former McDonald’s All-American was named to the West Coast Conference All-Freshman Team in 2022, Second Team All-WCC in 2024, and First Team All-WCC in 2025. Hickman got better and better as the years went along with the Gonzaga program.
No NBA mock drafts have the Seattle native being taken in the first or second round, but a G-League team will most likely take a chance on the guard given what he has displayed throughout his lengthy collegiate career. Wherever and whatever ends up happening to him, Hickman will be successful doing it. Best of luck as his professional journey is just beginning.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on Twitter @a_cravalho
