Gonzaga guard Nolan Hickman has declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, he announced Thursday night in a post on Instagram.
Hickman, currently competing in front of pro scouts at a pre-draft tournament in Virginia, spent his entire four-year college career in Spokane, appearing in 139 games and scoring over 1,300 points while wearing a Bulldogs uniform. He finished ninth all-time in program history with 225 made 3-pointers and developed into quite a fan-favorite through his interactions with Gonzaga’s student section during home games at the McCarthey Athletic Center.
“I’ve loved my time at Gonzaga, and I want to express my gratitude to the Kennel Club, coaching staff, teammates, and everyone else who played a part in my college journey,” Hickman’s Instagram post read. “With that being said, I will be declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft. Once a Zag, always a Zag.”
A former four-star recruit in the class of 2021, Hickman came to Gonzaga with high expectations after he de-committed from John Calipari and Kentucky. He came off the bench and played sparingly as a freshman, averaging just 5.1 points in 17.2 minutes, but soon developed into a consistent starter for the Zags while taking on a few different roles in the process. After running point guard as a sophomore, Hickman moved over to the “2” guard spot to make room for Ryan Nembhard, whom Hickman helped recruit from Creighton during the 2023 offseason.
In addition to sacrificing his previous role, Hickman upped his 3-point numbers from his sophomore to junior year, going from 35.4% to 41.3% on a higher volume of attempts. He earned All-WCC honors after averaging a career-high 14.0 points in 2023-24, then received all-conference honors again as a senior. Hickman averaged 10.9 points and shot 44.5% from 3-point range this past season. His 77 3-pointers led the Bulldogs.
Hickman is the first player from Gonzaga’s 2024-25 squad to enter the NBA Draft so far this spring. Should he receive an invite to the NBA draft combine, he’ll be in Chicago from May 11-18 to showcase his skills and test his agility and strength in front of NBA scouts and front office members. The NBA G League Elite Camp, also in Chicago from May 11-12, is another potential route to take in the pre-draft process.
Hickman is currently projected as a potential second-round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, according to NBA Draft Room. In his first game at the Portsmouth Invitational on Wednesday, Hickman finished with five points, five rebounds, two assists and one block in 19 minutes of action.
Over his four years at Gonzaga, Hickman tallied 1,319 points, 330 assists, 302 rebounds and 124 steals. He scored a career-high 24 points twice, first against Loyola Marymount on Jan. 30, 2024, and then again against Santa Clara this past January.
