An extremely successful decade of Gonzaga basketball is coming to a close this week. Gonzaga has gone from "where John Stockton played" to a "Cinderella" team to one of the most respected and successful college basketball programs in the country, no matter the the size of the school or mid major status. A Few Good Zags thought it was a good time to reflect back on the past 10 years by coming up with a Top 10 Zags of the Decade list.

To qualify, the player must have played a season from 2000-2009. Here is the first half of the list, with the top 5 players coming later. Share your memories of these players here, or if you agree or disagree with their ranking.

#10 Jeremy Pargo

As a freshman at Gonzaga, Pargo's impact was felt immediately. Coming off the bench and sharing time with Derek Raivio, he impacted games in Maui, the WCC tournament and was always strong in limited minutes. His Sophomore season would be the real coming out party. He started every game for the Zags, scoring 16 points against #2 North Carolina, 18 points against #25 Texas, 21 points against #6 Duke, and 23 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals against Stanford. Pargo was a very productive player in big games and his future looked bright after averaging 12 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game his sophomore year.

His Junior year saw somewhat of a leveling off in productivity. His points per game and field goal shooting percentage didn't change, but 26% shooting from 3-point range and slightly increased assists per game indicated a new mentality. Many people believe Pargo was showcasing his skills for the NBA by trying to change his game. He was still the same big game player with serious production against UConn, Oklahoma, and Memphis. In the first round of the NCAA tournament against Davidson, Pargo added 18 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals- seemingly enough to entice an NBA team which prompted Pargo to declare for the NBA draft. That 2007/2008 team was somewhat of a disappointment. There were high hopes for the squad but Pargo seemed to mentally take a step away from the program. After deciding not to go pro, and returning to Gonzaga, his production really took a dive. Jeremy got too wrapped up in the future and lost track of his strengths. He is a scorer first, passer later. His ability to physically out-match any opponent, on any level, is what he did best at GU.

Pargo makes the top 10 Zags for a number of reasons. He was 3rd all-time at Gonzaga in assists for one thing. He was also always focused and determined against the countries best talent. His NBA physicality at guard was no match for most opposing point guards. His athleticism was also unmatched for being only 6'2". He could dunk on almost any player, even front-court players, and entertainment value always helps your popularity. 4 years and 103 games started gives Jeremy Pargo a strong case as a member of the Zags of the decade.

#9 Cory Violette

Cory Violette comes in at number nine on our list of Zags of the Decade.  Cory's career ran from 2000-2004.  He saw only sparse minutes as a freshman playing behind Casey Calvary but stepped up in a major way as a sophomore and was a force to be reckoned with for the rest of his career.

As a sophomore Violette really blossomed and paired with Zach Gourde to form a formidable frontcourt for the Zags.  He recorded 11 double-doubles on the season as he averaged over 8 rebounds per game and had 23 games where he scored in double-figures.  As a junior, Violette averaged 11 and 8 while being a part of a dynamic frontcourt with Ronny Turiaf and Richard Fox.  Violette posted 9 double-doubles as a junior bringing his career total to 20.  As a senior Cory averaged 14 and 8 while leading a very balanced team in rebounding.  With the emergence of Turiaf, Cory's scoring and rebounding burdens were diminished and he was able to play a more comfortable power forward position.

Violette finished his career at 16th on the Gonzaga all-time scoring list, 3rd all-time in rebounding with 880 and 6th all-time in blocks.  Violette was a member of an impressive senior class that led the Bulldogs to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

#8 Richie Frahm

Richie Frahm is another one of those Zags who really got the decade started, and provided the foundation for everything we know about Gonzaga today. His sniper-like accuracy from beyond the arc helped balance Gonzaga and lead them to national prominence in 2000.

Frahm was one of those first really good recruits Gonzaga picked up as they tried to make an impact in college basketball. He averaged only 14 minutes a game as a freshman but highlights included playing in every game and scoring 20 points against St Mary's. His sophomore season of 1997/98, he helped Matt Santangelo guide Gonzaga to a 24-10 record. Frahm had season highs of 25 against St. Mary's and 24 points in an upset of Tulsa in Alaska. Gonzaga did not make the NCAA tournament that year, but it was just a building block in what would become a bright future.

Richie's junior year was when everything changed, for him and Gonzaga. He had a career high of 37 points against Memphis early in the year, hitting 8 of his 11 3-point attempts. But it was the improbable NCAA run that helped put Frahm and the Bulldogs in the hearts of America. Richie had 26 points in the first round against Minnesota, then 15 against Stanford, 17 in the win over Florida. Frahm was huge from long range in those 3 victories, and Gonzaga eventually lost to Connecticut in the Elite 8. It was this run that started the whole Gonzaga revolution and got many of us to attend Gonzaga. Richie Frahm is one of those guys etched in the minds of all Zag fans.

In his senior season, Frahm stepped his game up once again. He averaged 17 points, 2.5 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game. He was lights out once again from 3 and helped lead Gonzaga to the Sweet 16 with a 31 point effort in the win over Louisville and 10 points, 6 rebounds in the win over St. John's. Even after he graduated, Richie could be found in the field house working tirelessly on his game. It earned him a couple stints in the NBA. Highlights included 31 points at Denver while playing with the Seattle SuperSonics.

Richie Frahm was just one of those talented, hard working Zags. He played hard, spent 4 quality years in Spokane, and helped build the University's basketball program. Every Gonzaga fan or alumni owes a lot to these guys and we are all very appreciative, Frahm takes #8 on our list because he earned every bit of it.

#7 J.P. Batista

J.P. Batista was a two-year wonder-child for the Gonzaga Bulldogs.  Plucked out of the junior college ranks by the Gonzaga coaching staff, after growing up in Brazil, Batista made an instant impact and became an immediate favorite of Zags fans.

As a junior, Batista was named WCC Newcomer of the Year as he averaged 12 points and 6 rebounds per game.  The Bulldogs front-court was not as deep as in previous years, and the impact of J.P. as a legitimate low-post scorer helped balance out the Gonzaga offense attack that was led by Adam Morrison.  Boasting an array of low post moves including turn-around jumpers, baby-hooks and the ability to finish at the rim with either hand, Batista has become the modern-day standard of what Gonzaga fans want to see out of a center.  As a senior, Batista and Morrison led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament and into the Sweet Sixteen.  Posting impressive averages, scoring over 19 points per game and pulling down more than 9 rebounds per game, in addition to shooting 83% from the free throw line, Batista helped cement his position among all-time Zags despite only being a two year player.  J.P. finished his Gonzaga career with 996 points and 490 rebounds helping to place him 7th on our list of Zags of the Decade.

#6 Casey Calvary

Casey started his career as most freshmen do, not getting much playing time and averaging only 4 points a game, and scoring a season high 12. As a sophomore his playing time and production both increased as he became a bigger threat on the court. He averaged 24 minutes a game, 10 points/ 7 rebounds, and scoring a season high 17 against Portland. Casey's junior year began his emergence as a star at GU; he averaged 27 minutes and 13 points per game. This season ended on a high note in the Elite Eight with the aforementioned tip-in against Florida and the loss to the eventual champion Michigan State. As a senior Casey really shined, he averaged career highs of 30 minutes and 19 points. Casey became known as a tough, physical player, he loved to dunk the ball with authority and played extremely hard on the defensive side of the ball.

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