Q&A Regarding Brett Kingma

Among the many recruits at Kraziness in the Kennel in October was Brett Kingma. The 2011 recruit from Mill Creek, Washington has emerged as a priority recruit for Coach Few and the staff. Last week TKR ran some quotes from a terrific story in the HeraldNet about Brett and his recruitment. Recently, TKR had the fantastic opportunity to interview Michael Cane, who wrote the story for the HeraldNet last week. Last night, Michael had the opportunity to watch Kingma and his Jackson high school teammates in their season opener (click here for his game recap). We would like to thank Michael for taking the time to answer our questions, and this should really provide Gonzaga fans with a good understanding for the type of player Brett Kingma is.

TKR: At this point, what are Brett's greatest strengths and weaknesses on the court?

Michael Cane: Brett is an excellent shooter with good range and a quick release. He also makes some outstanding passes, including a few spectacular assists last night from midcourt.
I think he can improve his shot selection. In some cases he forced quick shots instead of moving the ball around. Last night he was 8-for-20 from the field (1-for-6 on 3-pointers).

TKR: Where do you think we will see the greatest improvements in Brett's game from last season?

Michael Cane: Brett appears to be a bit taller and stronger than last year. I figure he'll be more physical and better at fighting off defenders

TKR: What current or past college basketball player would you compare Brett's game to and why?

Michael Cane: I think it's too early to make a comparison like this. But Brett and his dad feel like Brett would fit well into Gonzaga's system, so you can make indirect comparisons to former Bulldogs guards like Dickau and Stepp.

TKR: While Brett holds offers from the 4 schools you mentioned, do you know of any other schools that have been showing interest or been in contact?

Michael Cane: I've heard rumors but I'm not sure. I'd rather not speculate.

TKR: How long has the Gonzaga staff been recruiting Brett, and when did they offer him?

Michael Cane: Brett has made three unofficial visits to Gonzaga but I'm not sure when the offer was made

TKR: Where would you rank Brett among the top players in the state for the 2011 class?

Michael Cane: I tend to keep the blinders on and focus mainly on our local players. Brett is easily the most highly touted sophomore in our area. Elsewhere, I hear a lot about Garfield's Tony Wroten, who according to some recruiting analysts is the No. 1 Class of 2011 player in the country.

TKR: Is Brett more of a pure PG, or would you classify him as a scoring guard?

Michael Cane: Based on what I've seen, he's more of a scoring guard with a dangerous mid- to long-range game. He's good coming off screens and also shows the ability to create his own shot on quick pull-up moves - quick release and good elevation. He's a capable passer too though. He seems to make good decisions and find openings in tight spaces. He's excellent at the foul line too. Last night he was a perfect 9-for-9.

TKR: Ultimately, do you expect Brett to end up as a Gonzaga Bulldog, and if you had to guess, when can we expect a verbal?

Michael Cane: Again, I don't like to speculate on this stuff. But Brett's dad told me Gonzaga is currently Brett's top choice and that Brett might commit to a program within the next few months.