SPOKANE, Wash. -- The goal was to check out the 2002-03 edition of Gonzaga, to see how the Bulldogs were coping with last year's first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament -- not to mention the loss of Dan Dickau to the first round of the NBA draft -- and whether or not they could keep Pepperdine at bay in the West Coast Conference.

The trip across the country, in essence, was to see whether or not the Zags could make another run at a fifth-straight NCAA Tournament berth.

But there was a distraction in the Gonzaga gym, someone who made the 2003-04 season seem a lot closer and, perhaps, would transform the Gonzaga program from G(uard) U. to a more athletic, above-the-rim style that its Northwest fans haven't seen during its run of success.

	“	It's exciting to see the level of kid coming here. It's not to take anything away from what we have had, but we haven't had a kid like Erroll Knight. ”
		— Mark Few, Gonzaga head coach

Working on his left hand throughout practice, because his right shooting hand was taped after tearing a ligament in his pinky last month, was Washington transfer Erroll Knight (pronounced like Earl). The 6-foot-7 Knight had never worked on his left hand like this, never solely, to this extent. But you wouldn't know it. Knight was driving to the basket with ease, pounding the ball with his left hand and floating up for a layup.

Knight was even taking (and making) 15-foot jumpers and free throws with his off hand, working on his post-up moves, bouncing off the floor as if he were working off a trampoline. Didn't see a dunk with his left, but there's no question that it could be done if he tried.

"I call him Mike, as in Mike Jordan, when I see him," said teammate Winston Brooks. "That's what he reminds me of and I want to keep pushing him."

The Jordan reference is, of course, absurd. But for this program, having a player like Knight seemed farfetched as recent as two years ago.

Gonzaga, for all its success, has missed the slashing, athletic, big-time scoring small forward. Even though the Bulldogs have had the athletic big man like Casey Calvary, and the jet-quick guard like Quentin Hall, they haven't had the tweener who is a necessity to cause matchup problems for an opposing team at the defensive end.

"It's exciting to see the level of kid coming here," Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. "It's not to take anything away from what we have had, but we haven't had a kid like Erroll. But what has been nice to see is how hard he's willing to work and how driven he is.

"We haven't had the whole package in one player, the explosive athlete that has the skill. This redshirt year will help him become a better shooter, too."

So, look past the upcoming season for a moment. Forget that Gonzaga still has as formitable frontcourt as there is out west in 6-8 bookends Zach Gourde and Cory Violette; a shooter ready to fill it up in Blake Stepp; and a senior point guard chomping a the bit in Winston Brooks. Put Knight next to 6-9 Ronny Turiaf and the 6-5 Skinner (a JC transfer who is already giving Gonzaga some above the rim skills in practice) in 2003-04 with Stepp at the point and Violette inside, and the Bulldogs will easily be the most athletic, high-flying team ever in their history.

"It's hard not to get excited about it," Violette said. "But as a college player you only get four years and I'm still excited about this one. But Erroll has been so supportive and gets us pumped up by coming to the weights, working out with us, even when he was injured."

"The old days here at Gonzaga are changing," Stepp said.

"This is the best collection of athletes that I've seen in this program and I've been here since the beginning of the run," said Gourde, a fifth-year senior, who along with Brooks, won't be around next year. "A lot of the older players were in town for a wedding this summer and they were looking around saw how everyone runs faster, jumps higher than four or five years ago. There is a higher class of athlete here, but they're still the players who aren't selfish, who won't ruin the chemistry for this team and this program to be successful."

NBA scouts have already got the buzz on Knight and are already on Turiaf's trail. Truiaf cracked France's rotation during the Under 20 European Championships this summer in Lithuania and put up some double-doubles. He has a good shot to not only be on the national team in September, 2003, but also a contributing member when the European Championships are held in Stockholm, Sweden.

Turiaf, known for his wild hair, long arms and overall activity around the glass, averaged 7.3 points and five boards as a freshman last season. Turiaf said he's not thinking about being a pro just yet and is committed to playing with Knight in 2003-04.

"I've got so much confidence in myself that nobody can stop me when I play good," Turiaf said. "I feel like nobody can stop me in the post."

Knight said he left Washington after one season because he didn't feel like it was a "program." He originally wanted to be close to his friends and family in his native Seattle, but that got old after one season. The coaching change at Washington from Bob Bender to Lorenzo Romar didn't affect his decision since he knew he wanted out of the area, as much as the program.

Knight started 19 of 29 games for the Huskies, averaging 7.1 points and 2.6 boards in 20.5 minutes. He showed he could be a double-figure scorer, posting those numbers nine times, including 19 points and nine boards against Arizona State. But it was on a struggling team.

"This is going to make or break me during the redshirt year," Knight said. "If I go hard this year, then I can really improve and so can the program. The flex offense will really help me because it fits my offense. My mid-range game, which is the flex offense in the corners and the top of the key, is my shot."

Knight said his injury, which happened when his finger got caught on Skinner's jersey, could be a blessing because he has been working so much on his left hand. Sitting out the season isn't a joy for players. They get bored, as teammate and one-time redshirt Gourde said. But it's also the most critical time in a player's career. The summer, or between freshman to sophomore years, is usually when a player will make the most improvement in his career because it's the time when he gets into a college weight room and on their training schedule. Extend those principles to a year, as in the case of a redshirt like Knight, and it should be even more valuable.

"Honestly, what impresses me most is the quality of human being he is off the court," said Gourde. "A lot of times that gets overlooked when you're talking about phenomenal athletes. He is a wonderful person who fits this program. We've had athletes here but Erroll can outjump guys, has the first step and look what he's doing working on his left hand. By the time he's done with his redshirt year he'll be able to go either way and then it's over."

Just what the WCC and future first-round NCAA tourney foes need to hear.

Florida full of talent -- healthy or not
Freshman Christian Drejer was expected to finally get on the court for practice this weekend after sitting out Florida's first few weeks with a torn hip flexor. Drejer tore it during individual workouts. Florida coach Billy Donovan didn't want to throw his Danish import into the fray too soon after doctors told him that Drejer could be set back for months if it didn't heal properly.

The Gators have been practicing without Drejer (hip) and James White (knee), but Donovan still said "talent-wise, we're real good even without them." The Gators have the depth to go 10 deep, whereas last season an injury would have limited practice. But Donovan is jacked to finally get Drejer out on the court.

"He's been frustrated," Donovan said. "He didn't know any of the kids, wanted to get in there, but hasn't been able to and is just sitting on the side. I love his talent and his skill level, but he needs to get in there to handle the speed and physical nature of our system. He's got great skills and is every bit of 6-9. I could play him at the 1, 2 or 3, maybe even some at the four position. I could go with him at power forward and have five shooters (with David Lee or Matt Bonner)."

Lee was a high-post scorer last season, but is now getting better with his back to the basket. But the most important aspect of his game isn't something visible. It's his mental approach after a season of seasoning in college.

"He's a lot more comfortable and he's tougher," Florida assistant Anthony Grant said.

Lee has bulked up by 15 to 20 pounds to 237 and is shooting the ball with ease. Expect Lee to have a breakthrough season, playing power forward for the Gators. Meanwhile, freshmen point Anthony Roberson and wing Matt Walsh are further along than the Gators' coaching staff thought. So, too, is redshirt freshman forward Adrian Moss, who could become another Brent Wright -- an unsung banger who isn't a great scorer but boards, screens and finishes.

On the other hand, freshman 6-7 center Mario Boggan arrived at 320 pounds, but is down to 300. The staff wants him to get to 285 so he can move easier. Boggan knows how to play the angles in the post but his size could foster more fatigue.

Even though Drejer and White have been out nursing injuries, a potential rotation is starting to take shape: Brett Nelson, Justin Hamilton, Roberson and Drejer at the point; Nelson, Roberson, Walsh and Drejer at shooting guard; Drejer, White and Walsh at small forward; and interchangeable forwards Bonner, Lee, Boggan, and Bonell Colas.

It's too early to say if Rashid Al-Kaleem is going to redshirt, but the minutes on the perimeter might dictate him sitting this season. The Gators should be in New York for Thanksgiving with a potential top 10 show down with Kansas for the Preseason NIT title.

Fresh look at OU
Kelvin Sampson has never had a team at Oklahoma that didn't have a first-year junior college player -- until this season. And that's what has made the preseason so challenging for Sampson.

He's teaching freshmen how to play physical, something that he had taken for granted with junior college players.

"I've got four freshmen and we're going to depend on them, which is uncharted waters for us," Sampson said. "It bodes well for us in February and March, though."

The biggest surprise has been the play of redshirt Matt Gipson, who Sampson said has a high basketball IQ and could give the Sooners some matchup problems at small forward. "We've got to find a role for him because he's a high-energy guy," Sampson said.

Freshmen Kevin Bookout and DeAngelo Alexander quickly understood how hard they must practice, but freshman center Larry Turner actually caught on even quicker. "Add them, Hollis Price, Quannas White, Ebi Ere and Jabahri Brown and we're real solid," Sampson said.

Oklahoma starts out with Alabama in the Coaches vs. Cancer event at Madison Square Garden (Nov. 14), and also plays games against Connecticut (home), Mississippi State (New Orleans) and Michigan State (Oklahoma City), not to mention the Big 12 schedule with Kansas and Texas. "I saw a top 25 poll and said, 'hey that's our schedule,'" Sampson said.

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