Adding USC transfer Desmond Claude was just the cherry on top of what has been a stellar offseason for coach Danny Sprinkle and the Washington Huskies, as he’s retooled his roster through the high school ranks and transfer portal.
CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein agrees, tabbing the Huskies as one of the power conference teams that should be among the nation’s most improved during the 2025-26 season.
With Claude, his Trojan teammate Wesley Yates, and East Tennessee State guard Quimari Peterson all in the fold, Sprinkle has a trio of experienced transfers all ranked inside 247Sports’ top 100 to build around in the backcourt. Then, factoring in Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year, forward Jacob Ognacevic, international frontcourt prospect Hannes Steinbach, and a pair of returners in sophomore guard Zoom Diallo and sixth-year center Franck Kepnang, the Huskies have constructed a roster that should be expected to get them back to the NCAA Tournament.
“Danny Sprinkle’s team, Washington, has a chance to be one of the most improved power conference teams in college basketball next season,” Rothstein said. “Desmond Claude and Wesley Yates come from USC; they’ve produced at the high major level. Lathan Sommerville is a really good piece from Rutgers. I’m a fan of what they did in other areas, Zoom Diallo is back, and I think you have to look at Washington now as a top 25-30 team entering next season.”
Sommerville should be a useful piece in the frontcourt to spell Kepnang, who has had injury troubles in each of his three years on Montlake, and gives the Huskies more frontcourt depth than they had at any point last season, without mentioning junior college center Mady Traore and Florida State transfer Christian Nitu.
Alongside an incoming class that includes a trio of four-star freshmen, the Huskies are poised to take a big step forward in Sprinkle’s second season.
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