Huskies Are Big Time Spending in the Big Ten
For years, Washington basketball has been one of college basketball’s greatest paradoxes. Despite producing NBA talent like Markelle Fultz, Jaden McDaniels, Isaiah Stewart, and others, the Huskies have struggled to find consistent success. Most seasons often end without an NCAA Tournament appearance, frustrating a strong fanbase and raising questions about the program’s ceiling. However, in the new era of NIL, that ceiling may be higher than ever. Washington has quietly emerged as a program with serious financial firepower. Backed by a growing collective and deep-pocketed boosters, the Huskies are finally able to flex real muscle in the transfer portal. Last year, even with a major NIL splash to land Great Osobor on a reported two million dollar deal, the Huskies stumbled to a disappointing 13–18 finish. Now in their second year in the Big Ten, where teams like Indiana and Michigan are spending more on NIL than ever, Washington and Head Coach Danny Sprinkle have continued to spend big time to finally create a roster that can potentially compete.
The Huskies faced a major roster overturn this offseason. Six rotation players will not return, including Osobor, Tyler Harris, and Mehki Mason. However, Sprinkle retained key cornerstone Zoom Diallo, a relentless rim-finishing freshman who averaged 11.1 points a game this season. Diallo will be accompanied by USC's backcourt from last season, Desmond Claude and Wesley Yates, who both took their talents to Seattle. Claude is a composed point forward capable of slowing the pace of a game and leveraging his versatility to exploit mismatches. On the other hand, Yates, who was a freshman last season, is a high-feel scorer who can stretch the floor. Combined, Yates and Claude averaged 29.9 points a game. For insurance, Sprinkle recruited SoCon Player of the Year Quimari Peterson, who averaged 19.5 points off 42% from three at East Tennessee State.
Sprinkle also buffed up his frontcourt with the departure of Osobor, placing emphasis on versatility. He landed Jacob Ognacevic from Lipscomb, a six-foot-eight forward that'll give Washington a reliable inside-out threat who can help space the floor and provide stability in the halfcourt. Bryson Tucker, a former four-star recruit, also took his talents to Seattle this offseason in the hope of boosting his NBA stock with more minutes. His size and defensive versatility give Sprinkle another high-upside piece to deploy on the wing. To further fortify the paint, Sprinkle added Christian Nitu, a six-foot-eleven forward from Florida State, and Lathan Sommerville, a physically imposing six-foot-ten, 275-pound big man from Rutgers. Nitu offers length and upside as a rim protector with developing perimeter skills, while Sommerville proved in his freshman season he was more than capable of handling the Big Ten's physicality, with a natural feel for controlling the paint.
