Husky Basketball Has a Lot of Work to Do to Become Competitive Again
A year ago, the Washington basketball team was packing for Italy, getting ready to unveil prize recruit Isaiah Stewart on a four-game European tour and dealing with unreal expectations.
Offseason interest in the Huskies was at unprecedented heights. Stewart was part of a huge talent infusion, soon to be joined by fellow freshman forward Jaden McDaniel and Kentucky point-guard transfer Quade Green.
One overly optimistic writer, caught up in the unusual overabundance of players with serious NBA prospects, boldly suggested this group had the makings of a Final Four contender.
Thud.
That was the sound of everyone coming back to earth once Green flunked out, McDaniels underperformed and Stewart was left to fend for himself during a hugely disappointing 15-17 season.
Pandemic or no pandemic, the opposite is happening now — no one is talking about coach Mike Hopkins' Husky basketball team.
Five players have left the program since season's end, including Stewart and McDanels, bound for NBA early entry as expected. Forward Sam Timmins graduated. Seven-footer Bryan Penn-Johnson recently transferred to LSU. Earlier, point guard Elijah Hardy left for Portland State
The Huskies have plenty of work to do to right the program. They still have just two newcomers, meaning they have two scholarships available for next season, three if Green doesn't come back.
They need bodies.
No new freshman will join this group for the upcoming season, whenever that might be because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Just one of three incoming transfers is eligible to play right away.
The roster counts a lean seven returning players: Senior forwards Naz Carter and Hameir Wright, junior guard Jamal Bey, sophomore guards RaeQuan Battle and Marcus Tsohonis, sophomore forward Nate Roberts and, if he comes back from grade purgatory, Green.
Ready-to-play newcomers are USC transfer forward J'Raan Brooks and junior-college guard Nate Pryor.
Transfer guards Cole Bajema of Michigan and Erik Stevenson of Wichita State, at least for now, can't play until 2021-22. They're no doubt seeking waivers to become eligible immediately.
If this team had to play right now, the Huskies likely would start Roberts or Brooks up front flanked by Carter and Wright, with Green and Battle in the backcourt.
Their overall 3-point shooting still would be suspect and the front line, no matter who takes over, will suffer a dropoff without Stewart.
As it stands, the UW basketball team looks as uncertain as it was awe-inspiring 12 months ago.
New faces have to be on the way. Can they help? With the pandemic raging, will there be a season and will it matter?
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