Tag: Washington Huskies Basketball

Washington lands top 10 transfer portal commit in Great Osobor

The Washington Huskies landed a commitment from one of the best players in the transfer portal.

Danny Sprinkle wins out.

The Washington Huskies’ new head coach has done an impressive job developing Great Osobor throughout his time at Montana State and Utah State. Now, he will get to continue working with him at Washington, as Osobor announced his commitment to reunite with Sprinkle on Monday morning.

“I would like to thank God for putting me in this position,” Osobor told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. “Washington will allow me to maximize my potential as a player in my final year of college basketball. Coach [Danny] Sprinkle has been with me every step of the way since I came from England, and I cannot wait to help the Huskies get back to the NCAA tournament.”

Ranked as the No. 7 player in the transfer portal by 247Sports, Osobor rounds out Washington’s starting lineup and brings an elite scoring presence in the paint. Over his one year at Utah State, last season’s Mountain West Player of the Year averaged 17.7 points and 9 rebounds per game on 57.7 percent shooting from the field, while also playing elite defense, averaging 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals per contest.

Sprinkle’s coaching staff had to fight to the end to secure Osobor’s commitment, as he took official visits to Kentucky, Louisville, and Texas Tech before Washington. Combined with center Franck Kepnang, the 6-foot-8, 245-pound product of Bradford, England could help create one of the best frontcourts in the Big Ten.

“It’s a blessing to be put in the position I am in now, and I look forward to using my platform to proudly represent my family and be a role model to my two younger sisters,” he said.

This is the biggest win for Sprinkle in his first few months at Washington and takes his team from being a promising group, to having arguably one of the better lineups in the Big Ten.

Washington basketball’s Keion Brooks Jr. invited to G-League Elite Camp

Former Washington Huskies star Keion Brooks Jr. received an invitation to the NBA G-League combine.

Former Washington Huskies star Keion Brooks Jr. has taken the next step in his journey to the NBA. Although he wasn’t selected to attend the NBA draft’s annual combine, he did receive an invitation to the G-League Elite Camp.

Slated to begin on May 11, the NBA’s developmental league holds two days’ worth of scrimmages where some of its standout performers will receive an invitation to the combine. Brooks will compete against other top prospects who aren’t slated to attend the combine, including Arizona’s Caleb Love, Gonzaga’s Anton Watson, and Washington State’s Jaylen Wells.

Even though coach Mike Hopkins struggled during Brooks’ two years in Seattle, the Kentucky transfer still had a strong career with the Huskies. He averaged 19.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1 block per game on Montlake, but never got a chance to play in anything beyond the Pac-12 Tournament.

He isn’t projected to hear his name selected in June’s draft, but would be a solid addition for any team. He made a major improvement from three-point range during his final season, shooting a career-high 38 percent from deep.

With his impressive athleticism, experience, and ability to score from all three levels of the floor, he could be a solid bench piece for an NBA team if he can make it out of training camp. He’s proven that he can be an efficient scorer and without nearly as much attention from the opposition, he could carve out a career as a solid role player in the pros.

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Washington basketball adds talented forward Tyler Harris

The Washington Huskies added a talented member to the frontcourt in former Portland forward Tyler Harris.

Danny Sprinkle’s rebuild of the Washington Huskies is nearly complete. His coaching staff earned a commitment from Portland forward Tyler Harris on Friday night, leaving just one scholarship spot available on the roster.

Harris brings an exciting ceiling to Montlake after averaging 12.1 points and 7,3 rebounds per game with the Pilots during his freshman season. Listed at 6-foot-8 and 190 pounds, the product of Granada High School in Livermore, California, brings length and athleticism to both ends of the floor along with good touch from the outside.

He shot 35.8 percent from three-point range and 46 percent from the floor and was named to the All-WCC Freshman Team after playing in 22 games last season, starting 21.

Harris also missed 11 games with an ankle injury and could become the second Portland transfer in as many years to make an impact with the Huskies, after forward Moses Wood started 32 games for coach Mike Hopkins last year.

While Harris may not be expected to start, especially if the Huskies can earn a commitment from Utah State forward Great Osobor, he has a high ceiling and looks like he could be an important part of Sprinkle’s rotation going forward.

Washington adds Rhode Island transfer Luis Kortright

The Washington Huskies rounded out their guard depth with another transfer portal addition.

The Washington Huskies rounded out their guard depth through the transfer portal on Friday morning with the addition of Rhode Island guard Luis Kortright.

The graduate transfer adds depth and experience to coach Danny Sprinkle’s backcourt and appears to be the final guard his staff will take on the 2024-25 roster.

“The system [at Washington] was a lot of ball screens, playing fast,” Kortright told Sam Lance of Zagsblog.com. “I played them when Coach Sprinkle was at Montana State. I just saw myself playing in that system, those are the things I see myself doing as far as having the freedom to score and create and be me.”

During his one season with Rhode Island, Kortright averaged 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. He also led the team with 117 assists and 25 steals and should provide a spark whether he’s asked to start or come off the bench.

Sprinkle is building an exciting team and now that he’s rounded out his backcourt with a guard that can run the floor and distribute the ball effectively, he can turn his attention to filling out his frontcourt. [lawrence-related id=3314]

Washington basketball hosts Rhode Island transfer on official visit

The Washington Huskies are eyeing one more transfer portal guard to round out the backcourt.

Coach Danny Sprinkle has done an impressive job in the transfer portal to rebuild what was a barren Washington Huskies roster following the departure of Mike Hopkins. After securing four-star guards Zoom Diallo and Jase Butler from the high school ranks and Mehki Mason and DJ Davis from the portal, Sprinkle is targeting one final piece in the backcourt.

It appears that piece could be graduate transfer Luis Kortright from the University of Rhode Island, who announced on Thursday that he is in the middle of an official visit to Washington.

After spending his first three years at Quinnipiac, Kortright transferred to Rhode Island before the 2023-24 season, where he quickly turned into an impact player on both ends of the floor. He averaged 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while leading the Rams in total assists (115) and steals (25).

If he were to commit to Washington, he would provide a veteran presence that would take a lot of pressure off Diallo. Kortright could be asked to step in as a starter and would give Sprinkle a deep, experienced backcourt as he attempts to take the Huskies back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. [lawrence-related id=3168]

Washington basketball’s biggest transfer portal target is on campus

Coach Danny Sprinkle and the Washington Huskies are hosting their top transfer portal target, former Utah State star Great Osobor.

Coach Danny Sprinkle and the Washington Huskies are looking for a few more pieces in the transfer portal to help round out his roster for the 2024-25 season. None of those remaining targets are nearly as important as former Utah State forward Great Osobor, whose official visit to Washington began on Tuesday.

Last season’s Mountain West Player of the Year, the 6-foot-8, 250-pound Osobor averaged 17.7 points and 9 rebounds per game while shooting 57.7 percent from the floor. He has displayed continuous improvement over his three years with Sprinkle, winning the Big Sky’s Top Reserve award in 2022 after averaging 9.8 points and 4.4 rebounds at Montana State.

Now, he’s one of the hottest commodities in the transfer portal, ranked No. 7 overall by 247Sports, and has taken official visits to Kentucky, Lousiville, and Texas Tech before traveling to Seattle. He has reportedly taken the Wildcats off his list and is down to just the Cardinals, who have already added former Washington guard Koren Johnson this offseason, and the Red Raiders.

Not only would Osobor be an exciting addition to the roster, but he is also the perfect player to round out Washington’s starting five for the upcoming season.

He has plenty of experience playing as a wing in Sprinkle’s offense and would be a seamless fit into the lineup. With a strong passer in point guard Zoom Diallo, a threat from three-point range in DJ Davis, and a high-intensity threat in the paint Franck Kepnang, Osobor brings an elite post presence that can finish with touch around the rim.

With Osobor’s addition, Sprinkle could have his team ready to compete in the Big Ten rather quickly, now it’s just a matter of securing his commitment. [lawrence-related id=3168]

Washington basketball adds grad transfer forward from Oakland

The Washington Huskies added a consistent scorer from one of the biggest stories of the NCAA Tournament.

As the Washington Huskies were sidelined from the NCAA Tournament for the fifth consecutive season, college basketball fans watched in awe as the No. 14 seed Oakland Golden Grizzlies upset John Calipari and the No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats.

On Sunday, coach Danny Sprinkle reeled in one of Oakland’s more consistent players, graduate transfer forward Chris Conway. Conway started all 35 games for the Golden Grizzlies last season and should be a reliable depth piece for the Huskies in 2024.

Over his senior season, Conway averaged 10 points and 4.1 rebounds per game and has made 57 percent of his field goal attempts in his career. Depending on how the rest of the roster shapes up, he could bring Washington its best assortment of frontcourt depth in a long time.

Sprinkle is pushing hard to add San Diego State forward Elijah Saunders and Mountain West Player of the Year Great Osobor to round out the group, which will also return veteran center Franck Kepnang, forward Wilhelm Breidenbach, and adds Oregon State center KC Ibekwe.

Washington basketball to host San Diego State transfer target Elijah Saunders

The Washington Huskies still need some help in the frontcourt and are turning to an experienced option from San Diego State.

Coach Danny Sprinkle has done an impressive job with the Washington Huskies in his first few months on the job. He has put together an exciting backcourt headlined by four-star point guard Zoom Diallo and is now looking for more reinforcements in the frontcourt.

Sprinkle and his staff are still pushing to secure a commitment from his best player at Utah State, forward Great Osobor, but the roster needs more depth from the transfer portal and the coaching staff appears to be zeroing in on San Diego State forward Elijah Saunders as a top target.

A rising junior, Saunders played in all 37 Aztec games last season, starting the first 21. He had a career-best day against coach Mike Hopkins and the Huskies in November, posting 16 points and 8 rebounds in the Continental Tire Main Event tournament championship game in Las Vegas, Nevada, leading San Diego State to a 100-97 victory.

He went on to have a solid year with the Aztecs, averaging 6.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game on the season over 20.3 minutes. He is also set to take official visits to Virginia and Clemson before making his decision, but would provide a solid option off the bench for Sprinkle’s team if he were to choose Washington.

Franck Kepnang announces intentions to stay with Washington basketball

The Washington Huskies retained the services of center Franck Kepnang, who announced his return on Monday.

Coach Danny Sprinkle and the Washington Huskies retained an important piece of the roster on Monday, with center Franck Kepnang announcing his intentions to return to Montlake for his final season of eligibility. The 6-foot-11 center from Cameroon has suffered season-ending injuries during both of his years at Washington and has played in just 18 games over the last two seasons.

Kepnang entered the transfer portal after two years with the Oregon Ducks and decided to take his talents to Seattle, where he has been an integral piece on both sides of the ball whenever he’s on the floor.

In his 18 appearances, he has averaged 8.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. Kepnang plays with extreme intensity and under Sprinkle, he can step in as the starting center in front of Oregon State transfer KC Ibekwe.

If the Huskies can also find a way to bring in Utah State transfer Great Osobor, who was honored as the Mountain West Player of the Year under Sprinkle’s tutelage, Kepnang’s return will help give Washington a more than suitable combination of starting big men as the team moves into the Big Ten.

Washington basketball adds Oregon State transfer KC Ibekwe

Coach Danny Sprinkle added former Oregon State C KC Ibekwe to the Washington Huskies’ roster on Saturday.

Even though most Washington Huskies fans were focused on the NFL draft on Saturday, coach Danny Sprinkle kept working on the recruiting trail and earned his fourth commitment out of the transfer portal, this one coming from former Oregon State center KC Ibekwe.

The junior from Coquitlam, British Columbia played in all 32 games for the Beavers last season and averaged 5.1 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. He has two years of eligibility remaining and should be a large part of Sprinkle’s plan in the frontcourt, where the Huskies lost center Braxton Meah to the portal, but could be returning a fair amount of talent.

Forward Wilhelm Breidenbach, who was a solid piece for the Huskies last season is set to return and Washington is still waiting on a decision from center Franck Kepnang, who is still listed on the roster.

Kepnang was an impactful player on defense last season, but missed the majority of the season after suffering an injury against Seattle University in late December and would be a major addition if he decided to return to Washington.

Ibekwe has the potential to step into a much bigger role this season and could turn into an important role player for the Huskies. [lawrence-related id=2287]