Unlike A Year Ago, UW Basketball Lacks Program Buzz

Twelve months ago, the University of Washington basketball program was riding a wave of optimism and hope.

While most of the roster from Danny Sprinkle's first team had deserted him back then, the coach brought in better players to replace them.

He signed USC's starting backcourt, individuals from Indiana, Rutgers and Florida State, the Atlantic Sun and Southern conference players of the year and five freshmen he could put up against almost anyone else's.

Ever so cautiously, people begin to talk about the possibility of these Huskies returning to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in 15 seasons -- a have-not situation that has grown more embarrassing with each year.

Sad to say, there is no buzz surrounding the current UW basketball team as Sprinkle scrambles to put together his third group of players.

https://t.co/SDTJm0VL5u pic.twitter.com/I0EVJLxexH
— Casual Big Ten (@casualbigten) June 3, 2026

While guard Zoom Diallo and center Franck Kepnang gave the coach a one-year grace period and returned after the UW finished last in the Big Ten that first year, those two are gone now. They're still basketball teammates, only at Kentucky.

Of the freshmen assembled this past winter, 6-foot-10 Hannes Steinbach, Sprinkle's top recruit since he's been in Montlake, rightly so became a one-and-done player who now waits to hear his name called out in the NBA Draft's first round at the end of the month.

What really hurt Sprinkle was two of his other prized first-year recruits, guards JJ Mandaquit and Courtland Muldrew, bailed on him and transferred to Arizona and Georgia Tech, respectively.

They must have sensed that Husky basketball will remain in a continual rebuild, so who's to blame them.

Contrary to his critics who have emerged following 13-18 and 16-17 records, Sprinkle still might be a fairly decent coach, yet he might have a hard time showing it in Montlake.

Even he admitted late last season that his coaching peers had told him he was committing "professional suicide" by taking the UW job -- an incredible revelation. Yet it's a place that has fired its previous six Husky coaches.

Nor did it help Sprinkle that his reputation has lost some of its luster, as well.

A website called Casual Big Ten this week ranked the Big Ten's coaches from 1 to 18 -- and it put Sprinkle as next to worst.

Moving into June, the Huskies have five returning players to build around, foremost 6-foot-4 starting junior guard Wesley Yates, and they're supplemented by seven new faces, meaning the staff is not done finding a few more bodies.

The roster additions come from places such as Texas Tech, Davidson, Gonzaga and San Francisco, plus there's one high school recruit and international players from Brazil and Australia.

The Huskies still need to add a couple of guys. Most of all, they need to find some momentum somewhere, anywhere.

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