Fanbo Zeng, the No. 33 prospect in ESPN’s Class of 2022, commits to play for

Fanbo Zeng, the No. 33 prospect in the ESPN Class of 2022, has committed to play college basketball at Gonzaga, he told ESPN on Saturday. He said he will look to reclassify to 2021 and enroll at the school next summer.

“Gonzaga is a very successful program with great people — coaches, staff, players and all the fans,” Zeng told ESPN. “They’ve had many significant examples of developing international players. That was definitely very important to me throughout the recruiting process. [Head] coach Mark Few has been an extremely successful coach. [Assistant] coach Tommy Lloyd has been taking such a great care of the athletes that came from overseas. He really showed me what the program is about and how I’d fit perfectly at Gonzaga. I already can’t wait to join.”

Zeng picked Gonzaga over scholarship offers from Florida State, Florida, Virginia Tech and others. He arrived in the United States from China in 2017 as a 14-year-old, establishing himself as one of the top players in his class with a strong sophomore season at Windermere Prep high school outside Orlando, Florida, averaging 15.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 2.1 assists per game last season.

Zeng, who plays above the rim frequently but also possesses strong passing ability and a smooth lefty shooting stroke, is a “special, unique player, at 6-foot-9 who shot 47% for 3,” Windermere Prep coach Brian Hoff said. “He’s a great passer who can handle it as well. What’s going to separate him is he’s got a humility about him. He wants to go to work every day, maximize his potential and be the best. He’s as hard of a worker as I’ve ever coached.”

Coming from a basketball family, with both parents ex-players, Zeng was identified as a prospect at an early age, moving from his hometown of Harbin to an academy 750 miles away in Beijing at age 11 before eventually moving to Oregon and then Florida.

“My family always teaches me to be a great person before everything,” Zeng said. “Being kind and grateful has been very important in my life. On the court, I see myself as a skilled, athletic and smart perimeter player. A playmaker with size who has range as well. I’m very confident on the court and enjoy every second of playing ball. I need to keep working on getting stronger. That’s one of the important goals I have at Gonzaga. Also, just to develop overall. Which I’m sure it will be a blessing to train with some of the best coaches and teammates.”

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, Zeng, like many U.S.-based international players, elected to return home. The U.S. ban on travel from China will prevent him from finishing his final two years of high school at Windermere Prep, so Zeng will spend this upcoming season in China and attempt to enroll early at Gonzaga, starting next summer.

“It’s been difficult for the entire world,” Zeng said. “For me, my plan of going back to high school in the States had to be canceled. I had to finish high school back in my hometown. I will…