Sanderson proudly notes the progress made by Solongo, who has been ranked 107th by On3 since 2023 and 17th among centers in the 2026 class.
In its article, On3, recognized as a leading source on college sports, mentions that despite injuries, Solongo continues his journey at Notre Dame. As reported by MiddleAsianNews, this was three years ago, and now, as he prepares to enter university in June, he laughs recalling those conversations.
“He couldn’t move, he said he had bad hands and wasn’t in shape,” Sanderson laughs. “Now he can throw his head over the rim.”
Proud of Solongo's achievements, Sanderson noted that he became part of their family when he and his wife Jenn took him in. Although the adoption process began in Michigan, it had to be restarted after moving to Tennessee. By the time the process was completed, Solongo was already 18, but he still remained a part of their lives.
Sanderson treated Solongo like his own son, helping him develop his career. He created a personalized training regimen and a new diet for the young man, which led to Solongo becoming a four-star player and receiving offers from eight top universities.
However, his final year at La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana, proved challenging due to injuries. Despite this, Sanderson, whom Solongo calls "Big John," remains optimistic about his future.
“What are the odds that a 15-year-old teenager, 213 cm tall and weighing 136 kg, ends up in my home?” says Sanderson. “If you look at his progress at 15, 16, 17, 18 years old, it’s just off the charts.”
Solongo's Basketball Career in High School
Known as "Gana," Solongo broke his arm during practice in the fall, which sidelined him for seven weeks. Later, he suffered a Lisfranc ligament injury in his right foot, which also negatively impacted his school career.
Doctors recommended caution, considering his size — 213 cm and 275 pounds (125 kg). He faced another seven weeks in an orthopedic boot before he could return to training.
“You can never predict when injuries will happen,” shares Solongo. “I can work on my strength and improve my fitness, but I won’t be able to participate in the season.”
Solongo hopes to regain full fitness by the time he enters university in June and build on the success achieved over the past two years, although only one of those years was spent playing at a high level.
During his sophomore year at Saline High School (Michigan), Solongo was unable to play due to rules prohibiting out-of-state players from competing immediately after moving. During this time, he began training with Sanderson, who at that time was a strength coach and had prepared 30 NBA players over 15 years with the Wolverines.
“I was just lifting weights and doing all the exercises I could,” recalls Solongo. “Even at Ensworth, I kept training, doing jumps and other physical exercises. Big John is really good at that.”
At Ensworth University, where Sanderson worked at Vanderbilt, Solongo averaged 12.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game, establishing a rapport with Jonathan Sanderson.
“They’ve been inseparable for three years,” says John Sanderson. “We’ve come a long way. He’s a special kid. He’s very important to us. We love him. He loves us. I think all of this is just an incredible blessing.”
What is Solongo's contribution to the team in his first year?
The situation is exacerbated by injuries. Under new head coach Mike Shrewsberry, Notre Dame is lacking strong play in the paint. Solongo could provide the team with defense and pose a threat to opponents on offense.
“Gana will give us an advantage in height,” says Shrewsberry. “We need that in the paint against bigger opponents.”
However, without full high school experience, Jonathan Sanderson does not want to pressure Solongo into making an immediate contribution.
Among the main challenges are developing offensive skills, which still require improvement, and adapting to playing against shorter defenders.
“In some games against bigger teams, he might play more,” notes Shrewsberry. “However, against shorter opponents, he will need to work on his game to stay on the court.”
“I need to improve my speed, especially laterally,” adds Solongo.
“I might have to defend against guards, so I will work on my lateral movements. That’s a priority for me.”
Solongo does not set overly high expectations for his first year, although his success could significantly impact Notre Dame's prospects in the upcoming season.
“I just want to show my best qualities,” says Solongo. “The main thing for me is to get to know the game better, develop my skills, and be part of the team, whatever happens.”
