Former high school star checks out GU campus

David Burgess, a 6-foot-10, 250-pound redshirt freshman center, who announced earlier this month that he is transferring from Brigham Young University, was on the Gonzaga University campus Thursday and is apparently considering becoming a Zag.

Burgess, a former prep standout at Woodbridge High School in Irvine, Calif., made an official recruiting visit to GU two years ago, but opted to sign with BYU.

He missed all but two games as a freshman last season after undergoing ankle surgery, but was granted a medical hardship year by the NCAA.

Prior to announcing his decision to transfer at the end of the semester, Burgess played in just three of BYU’s first seven games, scoring two points and grabbing five rebounds. He has not officially declared where he will enroll next semester, but Gonzaga does have an open scholarship.

As a high school senior, Burgess averaged 19 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots per game and was a McDonald’s All-American nominee.

He was a first-team all-stater and the only high school player to compete on the 19-and-under USA team that finished with a 7-1 record, losing only to eventual champion Australia, in the 2003 Basketball World Championships.

Upon originally signing with BYU, Burgess listed Gonzaga, UCLA, Louisville and Florida among the schools who had recruited him out of high school.

Division I coaches, under NCAA rules, are not allowed to comment on recruitable athletes until they sign letters of intent.