Husky Roster Review: Yates Needs to Make UW Work for Him

Wesley Yates III can't be faulted if he's beginning to think the University of Washington is not the healthiest place for him and his basketball game.

Two years ago, he injured a foot as a freshman for a Mike Hopkins-coached Husky team.

And right when he was set to make a midseason debut, Yates hurt his foot again and never played a minute for Hopkins.

He came to Montlake with big plans that never materterialized.

"I felt super confident, super confident with my game the way it was going," Yates said. "I even felt I had a shot to go one-and-done."

The 6-foot-4 guard from Beaumont, Texas, had to transfer to USC to play for the first time in a college game, and he played well, shot well, in 2025 -- including twice against the Huskies.

Somewhat surprisingly, Yates returned to the UW for this past season, ready to make up for lost time with the Huskies.

Yet it still wasn't a perfect match for him. Yates first broke his wrist and had surgery during the season, sitting out six games in all. He next suffered through an unnerving five-game shooting slump to close the season.

It's still not clear if the two situations -- the wrist and a flurry of missed shots -- were interrelated.

Wesley Yates III fires up a shot against Wisconsin. | Dave Sizer photo

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 16 on the Husky basketball roster -- examining what each scholarship and walk-on player did this past winter and whether he actually lived up to expectations.

Yates is clearly a talent, now having played for a pair of Big Ten teams, and often showing the ability to put the ball in the basket.

He even turned up in a preseason NBA mock draft or two that included him among the players who will be selected this coming June.

Wesley Yates III debates with a Husky teammate. | Dave Sizer photo

Yet no one said it was going to be easy for him.

He now needs to reclaim his health and confidence, and put to rest any idea the UW presents a jinx for him.

From USC to the Huskies, Yates saw his scoring average drop from 14.2 points per game to 12.7. His overall shooting percent dipped from 47.7 percent to 37.1 His 3-point marksmanship from 43.4 precent to 31.2.

Wesley Yates III celebrates the moment. | Dave Sizer photo

This talented Texas still has to be wondering what happened to him over the past month.

In five closing games, he connected on just 18 of 70 field goals overall, and 6 for 36 from behind the 3-point line.

That's a tepid 25.7 and 16.6 percent, respectively.

Against Wisconsin, Yate suffered through a 1-for-17 shooting performance, including 1 of 8 from behind the line, possibly the worst in school history.

Over two regular-season games, against Wisconsin and USC, he went 1 for 17 in 3-point shooting alone.

"He's got to keep shooting," UW coach Danny Sprinkle said before the Big Ten Tournament began. "He's getting great looks. He's getting open looks."

It's not clear if that repaired wrist of his was still throbbing as he let fly with the ball while moving into the Big Ten Tournament or if it was just a lost confidence thing.

In and around the drawbacks, he started 25 of 27 UW games early on and could be very good with the ball in his hands. He had five games of 20 points or more, topped by 26 at Washington State. He drained five 3-pointers in a game against Nevada.

Both Yates and the UW are long overdue to mesh together and share in some real basketball success.