Inside The Huskies

Breidenbach Did What Was Asked In Huskies' Tough Season

He became a starter when a reserve role probably better suited him at the UW.
Dan Raley|
Wilhelm Breidenbach dunks against Maryland.
Wilhelm Breidenbach dunks against Maryland. | Skylar Lin Visuals

Wilhelm Breidenbach has that multi-syllable name and the bespectacled look that almost suggests in another life he could have been a scientist working on the Manhattan Project, in a top secret manner behind the scenes.

With those thick black glasses of his, he certainly gave off a deep-thinker vibe.

Envision the Hollywood movie chronicling that era being called Breidenbach rather than Oppenheimer.

Instead, the 6-foot-10, 232-pound forward from Rancho Santa Margarita, California, spent the last two years with the University of Washington basketball team as a visible starter at times when a role coming off the bench might have been a better fit.

To his credit, Breidenbach did what was asked, starting 26 of 62 games, though he couldn't prevent this past season's Huskies (13-18 overall, 4-16 conference) from finishing in last place in the Big Ten.

Wilhelm Breidenbach extends to pick up a loose ball against Ilinois.
Wilhelm Breidenbach extends to pick up a loose ball against Ilinois. | Skylar Lin Visuals

After transferring from Nebraska, Breidenbach was pegged for a support piece at the UW, but he was thrust into a much more demanding job by two different Husky coaching staffs largely because teammate Franck Kepnang couldn't stay healthy long for either leader.

While he wasn't necessarily the most athletic player on the floor, Breidenbach did things properly motivated for first-year coach Danny Sprinkle that the latter wanted from all of his players.

"Everyone sees him doing the right stuff," Sprinkle said. "Everybody sees him diving, taking the charge and playing the right way, being a great teammate."

The downside was Breidenbach couldn't maintain high production levels the more he had to play. While starting 17 of 30 outings this winter, he averaged just 4.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.

He had just two double-figure outings, with a high of 10 points against UC Davis and NJIT, and 6 rebounds against Illinois. Reserve stuff, not starter material.

On a team hurting for 3-point shooting at times, Breidenbach picked up the slack, providing what resembled more of set shot from behind the line. He averaged 50.5 percent shooting overall, 37 percent from long range.

Jase Butler and Wilhelm Breidenbach help UW teammate Mekhi Mason off the ground.
Jase Butler and Wilhelm Breidenbach help UW teammate Mekhi Mason off the ground. | Skylar Lin Visuals

Typical of this recently completed rugged season, Breidenbach did not escape physically unscathed. Against Washington State, he suffered concussion and needed stitches, and had to sit out against Seattle University.

It was tough being a mad scientist.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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