Time to Shake Up the Husky Basketball Starting Lineup
Mike Hopkins always has been a University of Washington basketball player's best friend.
He sticks with his guys. Goes to bat for them. Spreads as much sunshine as he can.
Kentucky transfer Quade Green became academically ineligible — something extremely difficult to do considering all of the tutors and study hall assistance provided by the school — and his actions heavily contributed to ruining a promising Husky season a year ago.
Hopkins' response? Those things happen.
Freshman forward Jaden McDaniels acted churlishly all last season — drawing six technical fouls for everything from slapping an opponent's head to heaving a basketball at an official, probably costing the Huskies one game for sure.
Hopkins' take? Jaden's a good kid.
Faced with his first true UW basketball rebuild, the coach couldn't afford to lose any more of his players and senior swingman Naz Carter let him down by getting dismissed from the program.
The New Yorker was one of Hopkins' very first recruits and, in the end, that didn't count for much of anything at all.
Hopkins is a really decent man but maybe a little naive.
For all of his allegiance to his players, the payback has been negligible.
As he's tried to establish his program, the guys haven't held up to their end of the deal.
When he played at Syracuse, Hopkins gave everything he had to Jim Boeheim.
Hopkins needs the same thing in return.
Who's with him and who's not.
He said his guys didn't play hard against Montana.
Why not?
It's time to change up the starting lineup for Sunday night's game against Colorado in Las Vegas. Send a message that the status quo is over. Make everyone more accountable.
"There could be changes," Hopkins said.
Riley Sorn, the 7-foot-4 sophomore, doesn't have the stamina to play long stretches, but open with him.
Let him know that he's a starter.
Give him a scholarship, too.
Sorn had a career-high 10 points, dunked three times and blocked two shots against Montana.
Put RaeQuan Battle in the starting lineup and keep him there.
The sophomore is the Huskies' best shooter. Instant offense. Two games removed from his career-best 19 points against Oregon.
This team has never shot well. Never will. Battle gives you your best chance.
Start junior-college transfer Nate Pryor from here on out and put the ball in his hands as much as possible. He's scored a career-high 13 against both Seattle and Montana.
On a team that commits nonstop turnovers, Pryor gets the ball to the other guys better than anyone.
Pair them with 6-foot-10 sophomore Nate Roberts and Green, and play them as long as you can before rotating in the others.
Roberts always goes at it hard.
Green has big-time skills, but he's not always the best teammate.
For whatever reason, he won't throw it inside to Sorn.
Maybe Green doesn't respect the big man.
That needs to be addressed.
Make everyone play together and play as hard as they can.
Demand that all of these Huskies dive for loose balls — like Hopkins used to do for Boeheim at Syracuse.
Wichita State transfer Erik Stevenson hasn't found his comfort zone, but he will.
He's a tough guy who needs to show it more.
Bring him off the bench until he finds his touch and swagger again.
Hameir Wright, a two-season starter, doesn't shoot well.
Use him in stretches for his height and defense.
Limit his 3-pointers in a big way.
Jamal Bey, a starter for much of two seasons, needs to rotate in not start.
Play defense. Shoot less. Play less.
Old-time coach Marv Harshman used to do it this way with the Huskies.
Take average players, find roles for them and make them play beyond their capabilities.
Sit down the underachievers.
It's on these current players to step up and save the season right now.
They're 1-5.
Forget that mess.
Hopkins' job security is depending upon it.
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