Gonzaga’s Jacob Larsen cleared to practice

Gonzaga redshirt freshman center Jacob Larsen has been cleared to practice without restriction.

The native of Denmark redshirted last season after tearing his ACL in the first week of practice last October.

Larsen has participated in conditioning for several months and has added size and strength to his 6-foot-11 frame. He also worked on skill development in 1-on-0 and 1-on-1 drills.

“We haven’t done much as a team yet but he’s cleared,” Gonzaga assistant coach Brian Michaelson said. “Obviously he’s in a (knee) brace but he can play 5-on-5, anything.”

Larsen figures to be part of Gonzaga’s frontcourt rotation, likely as a backup to Johnathan Williams and Killian Tillie, but his court time has been limited the last few years by injuries.

Larsen was a standout on Denmark’s junior national teams and he participated in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders camp during 2015 All-Star weekend. He also played in the 2015 Adidas Next Generation tournament and averaged 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds.

“He’s got a big frame, tall, super long,” Michaelson said. “He has a big body, moves well for his size and had success at a younger age in Europe.”

Larsen was part of GU’s nationally ranked 2016 class that included Zach Collins, Zach Norvell Jr., Killian Tillie and Rui Hachimura.