Inside The Huskies

Numbers All Add Up: Steinbach Was Great In Likely Farewell

The freshman forward from Germany set himself apart in so many ways against USC.
Dan Raley|
Hannes Steinbach shows his approval.
Hannes Steinbach shows his approval. | Dave Sizer photo

Hannes Steinbach sat in front of media members, basking in a 91-72 victory over USC, when someone asked the University of Washington freshman forward from Germany if he would consider coming back for another year in Montlake.

"Yeah, maybe," he said unconvincingly.

No, the 6-foot-11 big man, with his 22 points and 24 rebounds, showed on Wednesday night why the NBA won't let him spend another season in this country as a college player, why those pro basketball teams will fight over him in June when its draft time.

As a collegiate forward, Hannes Steinbach likely will turn up only in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday night and in Chicago next week for the Big Ten Tournament, and then he's off to become the next Dirk Nowitzki or Detlef Schrempt, both fellow countrymen of whom he is well acquainted.

"I'm trying to be positive," grinning coach Danny Sprinkle said of getting another year out of his European standout.

No, Steinbach signed off at Alaska Airlines Arena in the most productive way imaginable, with his 20-20 performance.

Only Noah Dickerson, with his 28 points and 22 rebounds in 2017, previously had ventured into this sacred territory for the Huskies over the past five decades at least.

Hannes Steinbach consoles fellow freshman Courtland Muldrew.
Hannes Steinbach consoles fellow freshman Courtland Muldrew. | Dave Sizer photo

With 19 double-doubles in 27 games, Steinbach set the Big Ten standard for the most by a freshman over the past three decades, surpassing Ohio State's Jared Sullinger, who had 18.

Sixteen rebounds had been his previous best this season with Steinbach doing it three times, against USC in the first meeting, Denver and Rutgers.

Somewhat lost in all of the double-double stat discussion was Steinbach's 9-for-12 shooting night, which set him apart from everyone else who has been a modern-day freshman trend-setter.

OptaSTATs determined that he's the only Division I freshman over the past 30 years with three consecutive games of 20 and 10 plus 65 percent shooting.

Steinbach has not only proved to be the finest freshman basketball player ever to come through the UW, he's an incredibly grounded 19-year-old kid. He has no discernible ego. He readily enjoys his teammates. And he's never complained once about not getting the basketball enough.

He averages 18.3 points and 11.6 rebounds an outing, while shooting 57.8 percent.

Hannes Steinbach (6) shares a moment with Wesley Yates III and Quimari Peterson.
Hannes Steinbach (6) shares a moment with Wesley Yates III and Quimari Peterson. | Dave Sizer photo

Unfortunately for the Huskies, he is much too talented to spend another winter at the UW. It wouldn't be too far-fetched to hang his No. 6 from the rafters, but that's not going to happen. Everyone simply will have to say goodbye and wish him well.

He'll likely finish up with two to three more games -- with his team far too short-handed to make the season last a lot longer -- and then he's off to the NBA.

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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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