When Corey Kispert was on a recruiting visit to Gonzaga University, several things stood out.
The coaches and players who would be his future teammates had a tight-knit bond, the Spokane community had a passion for Gonzaga basketball and the Bulldogs had a storied history.
But there was one thing in particular that appealed to Kispert, who has helped lead the King’s High School boys basketball team to back-to-back 1A state championships.
“Gonzaga wins a lot,” he said. “They really do a good job of putting together high-20 or 30-win seasons every year. I like to win. We do a lot of it at King’s. I want to go to a spot where I can continue that winning habit.”
The Bulldogs were always high on Kispert’s list, which he narrowed from “the low teens” to three schools: Gonzaga, Notre Dame and Virginia
Kispert wasn’t necessarily planning to commit so soon after his visit to Gonzaga, but, after talking it over with his family and Knights head coach Rick Skeen, he knew it was the place for him and announced his verbal commitment last week on Twitter.
Kispert can’t officially sign an NCAA letter of intent until his senior year.
“Gonzaga had already kind of been in the front-runner position and when I made the visit there, it was absolutely perfect in every single way,” Kispert said. “When I got home I thought, ‘Why would I wait when I know for sure?’”
The 6-foot-6 wing averaged 23.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.3 steals per game as a junior and was named The Herald’s 2016 Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
Scout.com says Kispert “is a versatile forward who, offensively, will be able to play multiple positions at the next level.” The website gives him high marks for his shooting ability and feel for the game.
Skeen said Gonzaga is a good fit for Kispert.
“He’s such a smart kid,” Skeen said. “He and his family are amazing people. ‘Fit’ has been one of the big factors all along. He’s had three or four things that were really important to him on his list. He understands the idea of fit and skill set and needing a system and a program. I think Gonzaga’s a perfect fit. They’ve taken a lot of guys like Corey and really developed them. I think it’ll be a really good place for him to continue to grow and develop.
“I think the sky is the limit when you combine that work ethic with the athleticism and the skills he has. I think he has a chance to be a really good player at the next level.”
Throughout Kispert’s recruitment, Skeen, an avid Gonzaga fan, had to remain unbiased while helping his star figure out what university to attend. Once Kispert tweeted his commitment to the Bulldogs, his King’s teammates and coaches all wore Gonzaga gear to school the next day.
“I certainly didn’t have to go out and buy a shirt,” Skeen said. “I’ve told people I’ve been a Zag fan for a lot of years and I’ve had to keep my allegiance quiet to let Corey make a decision that’s best for Corey.”
Kispert informed Gonzaga coach Mark Few and his coaching staff of his commitment prior to sending out his tweet. Like Skeen, the Gonzaga coach was excited to hear the news.
“He’s like, ‘Corey, I had a feeling you’d make this choice. I knew from the beginning you were the perfect fit and you were our guy,’” Kispert said. “‘We see you making a name for yourself and having a successful career at Gonzaga.’ … He really gave me positive encouragement.”
The Bulldogs envision Kispert as either a guard or small forward, Kispert said.
During the recruiting process, Kispert made it known he wanted a spot where he could contribute right away.
“A big thing going into recruitment was I wasn’t really a big fan of redshirting,” Kispert said. “I definitely am not the player — or the person — to go fishing for colleges for one year as a stepping stone to the NBA, either. I’m definitely a three- or four-year guy looking to settle down and make a name for myself wherever I went.”
His commitment ends an intense recruitment that began to pick up after Kispert’s breakout sophomore season, during which he averaged 18.6 points and was named to the 1A state tournament’s all-tournament team after leading the Knights to the state championship.
“It was very cool to have these well-known, in some cases famous, coaches in our gym watching and coming around to check in on me,” Kispert said. “There was also a little bit of weirdness to it. A lot of people have my phone number now. A lot of people can text me and call me whenever they want.”
Skeen said Kispert handled the situation as well as anyone could have.
“He handles the pressure like a seasoned veteran but he doesn’t enjoy it,” Skeen said. “Some kids enjoy the spotlight, some kids want to be wined and dined. That’s just not Corey. He’s a low-key guy. He’s handled it fine. I think once he made the visits and saw what he saw at Gonzaga the opportunity to just put it out there so the attention would die down was part of it.”
Kispert said he’s been to two Gonzaga basketball games and had an incredible experience each time.
“It’s crazy out there,” he said. “They pack out every game. Their students are unbelievable.
“I’m really looking forward to playing in front of them and playing in that atmosphere.”
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