Dec 29, 2012; Hartford, CT, USA; Washington Huskies guard C.J. Wilcox (23) shoots the ball against the Connecticut Huskies during the first half at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

After ailing from a stress fracture in his foot through the last half of the 2012-2013 season, Washington Huskies’ guard C.J. Wilcox had surgery on his left foot Friday morning. In order to repair the stress fracture, Wilcox had his fifth metatarsal stabilized in the procedure. Washington called the surgery a success and said Wilcox is on track to return for the 2013-2014 season at 100 percent.

Although Wilcox refuses to blame his late season struggles on the stress fracture, his production clearly declined after the loss at UCLA after which he revealed the injury. He scored 15 points in the game, but in the two that followed, scored just 17 points combined. Before those, he had only failed to record double figures once, against UConn.

He was still able to score — putting up 20-plus points three times — but it normally required more shots. In the 23 games before the injury, Wilcox shot below 30 percent just three times, compared with five times in 11 games after it.

The decline in shooting — Wilcox’s best skill — resulted in him plummeting on draft boards. There is a very good chance that if he had stayed healthy, he would not be returning next season. Many pegged him as a mid-to-late first round pick for much of the season, but by the end of the season, he had fallen out of the top-60 on some lists.

Despite the lack of production in the stretch run, Wilcox still averaged 16.8 points per game, good for sixth in the conference. At one point he was at the top of that list, just as he is expected to be next season.

With Nigel Williams-Goss to dish him the ball, there should not be much drop off from the point guard position next season, allowing Wilcox to get as many, if not more, open shots.

A healthy Wilcox is good news for everybody but the Huskies’ opponents.

Jan 16, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Andrew Andrews (12) dribbles towards the basket during the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Alaska Airlines Arena. Washington defeated Colorado 64-54. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Just days after former Iowa State assistant coach T.J. Otzelberger was added to Lorenzo Romar’s staff, a familiar name was also added. Raphael Chillious, who left for a season at Villanova, has rejoined Romar and the Huskies as an assistant.

After the 2011-2012 season, Chillious decided to return home to the Northeastern United States and join Jay Wright at Villanova. He was an “vital member” of a Villanova team that made the NCAA Tournament as a nine-seed. The Wildcats went 20-14 overall and 10-8 in the Big East.

“It was a different perspective playing, coaching and recruiting in the Big East. It’s very different from the Pac-12,” Chillous told GoHuskies.com. “That has given me more tools in my coaching tool box.”

As if his coaching tool box wasn’t full enough already, Chillious has apparently expanded it. Even before taking the Villanova job, he was considered a prime head coaching candidate. He was reportedly a finalist for the Loyola (Md.) coaching job earlier this offseason as well.

There’s good reason behind the interest in Chillious. He has been a part of three NCAA Tournament coaching staffs and has recruiting connections around the globe. Now he’ll be able to coach one of the guards he was integral in recruiting: Nigel Williams-Goss.

Chillious is somewhat of a guard god. He coached some of the best backcourts in UW history. Among the players under his instruction were Isaiah Thomas, Abdul Gaddy, C.J. Wilcox and Terrence Ross.

Now, he gets to work with one of the best and deepest backcourts the Huskies have had in recent memory, certainly since Chillious has been on board. Not only is there experience in Wilcox, but potential in Andrew Andrews, Darin Johnson and Williams-Goss to name a few.

He may be known as a star recruiter, but this is where Chillious will shine. Sure, he should help Romar land some recruits that they  missed out on this year or before 2010, but his impact on the guards’ development will be key.

The core of the backcourt includes all underclassmen outside of Wilcox. Guards like Williams-Goss will see what Chillious can do and want to come here, while others will come to UW and display the impact Chillious has.

We all saw how Thomas took the Pac-12 by storm. A scrappy, three-star recruit turned into (should have been) Pac-12 Player of the Year and NBA starter. Sounds like something from Andrew Andrews’ horoscope. Maybe Jahmel Taylor opened that fortune cookie. Or Darin Johnson?

The only guard that has come to UW and truly failed to live up to expectations was Abdul Gaddy. The year Chillious arrived, Gaddy improved tenfold before tearing his ACL. Afterward, he showed far less drastic improvements in the year he had left under Chillious.

With Chillious, UW will not only be able to get recruits like Gaddy and Williams-Goss, but develop them, too. If this doesn’t show his impact, just look at the season without Chillious went.

Raphael Chillious is leaving Villanova to rejoin Lorenzo Romar’s staff at Washington, per multiple sources….

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 15, 2013

Chillious first joined Romar’s staff in April of 2009, and in the span of time before his departure in August 2012, Husky basketball was very successful. GoHuskies.com specifically credits him with the tutoring of UW’s guards, and also mentions his assistance as important to the Pac-10 Tournament Championships in 2010 and 2011, as well as the recruiting classes in 2010 and 2011 that included Terrence Ross, Aziz N’Diaye, Desmond Simmons, Tony Wroten Jr, Shawn Kemp Jr, and Andrew Andrews, among others.

When combined with the recent hiring of assistant T.J. Otzelberger, formerly of Iowa State University, it is clear that Romar is looking to strengthen his bench, not only for player development and on-court instruction, but for recruiting, reportedly one of Otzelberger’s greatest strengths.

It’s impossible to be certain how much credit Chillious deserves for the successful run enjoyed by the program during his time as assistant coach, but I do know that he is held in high regard by many in the college basketball world, and that he has long been discussed as a future head coaching candidate. When you consider that the god-awful 2013 year occurred after Chillious departed, it seems as though his presence could go a long way towards righting the ship, developing some of the talented incoming guards, like Nigel Williams-Goss and Darin Johnson, and of course towards building up a solid 2014 class of recruits.

Rothstein is a respected voice, but he has so far been the only person I’ve seen report this move, so until it is announced officially by the university, it is not for sure. That being said, there has been pretty consistent rumblings that the Otzelberger hire wasn’t the last coaching move Romar planned to make, so this makes a lot of sense.

As soon as more info is available, I will update this post.

March 14, 2013; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Lorenzo Romar instructs against the Oregon Ducks during the first half in the second round of the Pac 12 tournament at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Despite silence from the Washington athletic department, goaztecs.cstv.com announced that San Diego State would be hosting the Huskies on December 8, 2013. It won’t just be one game, but a home-and-home series with the Aztecs. They will visit Seattle as part of the 2014 non-conference schedule.

While it might not be the top-notch non-conference opponent UW fans have been waiting for, it is a step up from the bottom dwellers that have been visiting Alaska Airlines Arena recently. Of course, Husky fans will have to wait a year, as UW heads south in the first half of the series.

The Aztecs went 23-11 last season and earned themselves a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Dunk City, otherwise known as Florida Gulf Coast, bounced them in the second round (or round of 32) of the tournament.

We all know the disappointment that the Huskies were last season, but they should be able to bounce back well next season with the additions of Nigel Williams-Goss and Mike Anderson among others.

Luckily for the Huskies, Aztecs’ leading scorer last season, Jamaal Franklin, decided to enter the NBA Draft, rather than return for his senior season. The junior wing averaged 17 points and 9.5 rebounds per game last season. The next returning leading scorer is Xavier Thames, who averaged just 9.5 points in 28.7 minutes per game as a junior.

The Huskies have key losses too, but none is as big as Jamaal Franklin. With a better and bigger recruiting class, Washington should be reloaded, while San Diego State might be struggling to hang on.

Steve Fisher brings in four-star wing Dakarai Allen and three-star guard D’Erryl Williams. Allen should help make up for the loss of Franklin, while Williams can help burden the loss of Chase Tapley. Neither, however, will replace the production of the team’s top two leading scorers.

A team that would have probably been beaten by 20 last season should hold their own, if not beat, the Aztecs next season. With an improved Huskies squad and a depleted Aztecs one, it should be a good game. It never hurt to get a little experience in a hostile environment before conference season, too.

After a dominant senior season in ’05-’06 in which Roy averaged 20.2 points per game on 50% shooting from the field to go along with over 5 rebounds and 4 assists, the Garfield High School product was drafted 6th overall by the Timberwolves, who quickly traded him to the Trailblazers for the rights to Randy Foye (ha). He quickly established himself as a star in Portland, winning the 2007 Rookie of the Year award and rattling off three straight All-Star appearances from 2008 to 2010.

Nov 9, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Brandon Roy (3) shoots over Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson (1) during the second quarter at the Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately, in 2011 Roy underwent several knee surgeries, and his role on the floor began to rapidly diminish as the bone on bone grinding in his knees became unbearable. He announced his retirement in 2011 at the age of 27, when a star of his caliber with healthy knees would have just been entering his prime.

In 2012, Roy underwent the platelet-rich plasma surgery that famously aided Kobe Bryant and signed with the Timberwolves on July 31st in an attempt to restart his career. Unfortunately, he was only able to play five regular season games before his knee problems got the best of him, and now that he has been waived, it is likely that his career is permanently over.

Roy didn’t play long enough to establish himself as a hall of fame type talent, but in the Pacific Northwest, he will be remembered as a true great whose unique craftiness at the shooting guard position was undoubtedly as unique as it was effective. Regardless of how rough the last few years were on his body and his mind, Washington fans will remember him as a guy that put up 20 a game at UW, and the people of Portland will remember him as a player capable of averaging 22 point a game in only his third year in the league.

His number hangs in the rafters of HecEd, and while it’s easy to wonder what could have been, it’s safe to say that Roy will never be able to walk the streets of Seattle or Portland without fans recognizing one of the best basketball players in the history of the Northwest.

The proceeds from the game will benefit the Urban Family Center and the Rainier Beach Foundation, and while it’s unclear exactly how much success the game will find in it’s very first year, the level of star power behind it is impressive. Of particular interest? Former Sonic and future hall of famer Gary Payton, Husky great and current Chicago Bull Nate Robinson, Beach product and LA Clipper Jamal Crawford (which explains the picture of Crawford…in case that was confusing.), and Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn.

As far as players who will be hitting the floor, two Class of 2013 seniors already signed on to play for Washington, Darin Johnson of Sheldon High in Sacramento and Jahmel Taylor of Pacific Hills in Los Angeles. I profiled Darin Johnson, and many of the other players who will be contributing for the first time during the upcoming season, just a few days ago. This game also appears to be part of Jahmel Taylor’s visit to the Seattle area this week, meaning he will be using the trip to get some basketball in while also seeing the University of Washington for the first time.

Not to say I’m worried for Taylor, or second guess his decision. Washington is a wonderful place to live and to attend school, and Romar runs a great program. It seems that for the 5’11″ 160-pound guard out of Los Angeles, it could be an especially good fit, given Romar’s success in sending under-6′ guards to the NBA (a couple sites list Taylor at 6′ flat, but I’m guessing that if more than half of the sources peg him at 5’11″, he’s probably no taller than that).

Taylor also seems to be bringing a very straight forward, business-like attitude with him up to Seattle, which I think bodes well for his chances of succeeding in his time at Washington. “I’m really looking forward to meeting up with the players and seeing what goes on at school,” Taylor said. “I just want to see the community. From my research, it’s a great community. People are really into the Husky Nation. And I’m really excited about meeting the players. They seem like great guys. I’m looking forward to meeting them in person and actually getting to know them better.”

As discussed in this post from a few days ago discussing Darin Johnson and the rest of the incoming players, Taylor is one of the least heralded members of the 2013 class that includes Nigel Williams-Goss, Johnson, and JUCO transfer Mike Anderson. However, he is a solid three-star recruit according to Rivals, Scout, and ESPN, and what limited video I’ve seen of his play has shown a guard that scores creatively from just about anywhere on the floor (including some dangerously deep threes), and even if Taylor seems likely to redshirt in his first year (though that’s just my assessment from looking at the roster, not anything Romar has indicated), that doesn’t mean there won’t be a demand for that kind of scoring prowess down the road.

Hopefully Taylor enjoys his visit this week, and hopefully the Husky faithful enjoy Taylor’s contributions on the court in year’s to come.

There are the two transfers that sat out 2012 in compliance with NCAA transfer rules, 6’9″ power forward Perris Blackwell from the University of San Francisco and Gilles Dierickx (I still don’t know how to pronounce his name) originally of Belgium but more recently from Florida International. Blackwell will have one year of eligibility, and figures to make a large impact, perhaps even in the starting lineup. Dierickx has two years of remaining eligibility, but at this point he appears to be more of a role-player.

Then, of course, there is the fairly large Class of 2013. The most highly touted of them all, Nigel Williams-Goss, is a 6’3″ point guard out of Findley Prep (originally from Oregon) who was a consensus four-star type at the time of his commitment around this time last year. But over the last few months his stock has risen, from his undefeated season at Findley to his solid play in the McDonald’s All-American game. With recruiting rankings totally settled, Rivals and Scout still have him as a four-star, but Rivals pegs him at No. 6 in their point guard rankings, with Scout a little less optimistic at 10th. ESPN is very, very high on NWG. They list him as the No. 4 point guard, the No. 19 overall 2013 prospect, and award him five stars. Rankings are flawed, and can often be flat-out wrong, but NWG does look likely to receive serious playing time in his first year, and may even find himself starting.

Though he may be the most talked about prospect in Washington’s 2013 haul, he is certainly not the only one. Romar also signed Jahmel Taylor, a 5’11″ scoring point guard out of Pacific Hills in LA. He is a consensus three-star kid, so there hasn’t been much hype around him, but his highlights (whatever those really tell you) are solid, and at this point it seems dangerous to doubt Romar and his under-6′ guards.

Mike Anderson, a 6’5″ JUCO swingman from Moberly Area CC in Missouri, who I recently discussed in this post, has also been signed, and his efficient 50/40/80 shooting percentages and 17-point, 10-rebound per game averages have me excited that he will be a solid contributor off the bench, with the potential to do even more.

But there is also one final element to this class, a guy that has been lost a bit in the shadow of Nigel Williams-Goss, someone who I myself have sometimes nearly forgotten about in the shuffle of names this offseason: Darin Johnson, the 6’4″ shooting guard out of Sheldon High School in Sacramento, Ca. He has great size and length for a shooting guard, and seems to fit the mold of successful scoring guards in Romar’s system. He has a good outside shot (in fact, Johnson’s high school coach called him a “Ray Allen-like shooter” in this Percy Allen piece), and above average athleticism. Dude can fly a little bit.

As far as what the recruiting experts think? Scout and Rivals awarded him four stars, while ESPN stuck with three. Despite the difference, all three sights have him pegged between #22 and #25 in the Class of 2013 shooting guard rankings. According to Rivals, he also held offers from a ton of West Coast programs, including UCLA, Gonzaga, Oregon, and San Diego State.

I didn’t write this post to serve as some sort of hype-man for Johnson, to over inflate expectations for his freshman year. While Romar has specifically stated that he expects Johnson to contribute as a freshman, it seems fairly likely that his contributions will come off of the bench in this first upcoming season. But, as baseless as this may sound, something about Johnson’s demeanor, both on the court and in interviews, and the style of his game has me thinking that he will adjust to college very well, and serve as a dependable scorer off the bench from near the beginning of his career.

If you didn’t follow the link to the Percy Allen story, do it. Johnson states that he signed with Washington because Romar is a coach he can relate to, because he enjoys his honesty and straightforward nature, and because he wants to get to the NBA, and knows that Romar has had success developing league-bound scoring guards. To me, those are the exact reasons a kid should be interested in UW, and to see that Johnson sees this so clearly, while it obviously has no direct impact on his basketball talent, is also encouraging

Jan. 7, 2012; Provo, UT, USA; San Francisco forward Perris Blackwell (22) shoots against the Brigham Young Cougars during the second half at the Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Douglas C. Pizac-USA TODAY Sports

Assuming I’m correct, and Johnson’s skill and attitude allow him to play solid minutes off the bench, he will be another part of the solution to a problem discussed in the aforementioned Mike Anderson post: a lack of fundamental, dependable players, especially off the bench. Watching last year’s team, it was sometimes surprising to me that they won as many games as they did, simply because their on-court performances were so much uglier than their sub-par record.

Guys just played stupid, often passionless basketball. I’ve gone into this a lot, but it’s worth mentioning again. Terrible free throw percentages almost every game, a lack of hustle in transition, the allowing of back-door dunk after back-door dunk, saving the ball in bounds under their own basket.

And beyond this lack of mental toughness and hustle, there were also big issues with the make-up of the team. The starting lineup struggled badly to put up efficient points due to a lack of scoring aside from jumpers. No one could be depended on to score in the post (N’Diaye was solid, but his inability to catch the ball and his constant turnovers hurt. Kemp also began to develop a post-game late in the year, but it is still a work in progress), and with no one able to put pressure on the defense with inside scoring from the guard position, that meant highly contested jumpers from Wilcox and Suggs. There is a reason Wilcox regressed so badly. He wasn’t open after a possession of running around screens, because he was the only guy defenses had to worry about.

And when the starters turned over the ball or threw up clunkers, Romar couldn’t turn to his very thin bench and expect a change. This year, while there is a lack of defined roles and even experience with three starters graduating, there will be no shortage of solid basketball players. So many, in fact, that there is bound to be near starter-quality contributors off of the bench.

With Mike Moser headed to Oregon, the chance that Perris Blackwell gets a starting spot alongside, presumably, Shawn Kemp Jr, seems higher. So play along with me and assume, though it is in no way guaranteed, that the starting lineup next season is Nigel Williams-Goss, Andrew Andrews, C.J. Wilcox, Perris Blackwell, and Shawn Kemp Jr. Depending on just how well NWG and Blackwell play, and how much Andrews and Kemp improve, that isn’t a top-flight starting five. But do you realize who that would leave on the bench?

In the frontcourt, Desmond Simmons would be there to sub in for rebounding and defense. Jernard Jarreau, an intriguing player due to his shooting touch and length, but someone held back by his thin frame, would be there as well. Gilles Dierickx, if he’s really a player capable of getting minutes, would be a sort of wildcard thrown in there as well.

In the backcourt, the bench contributors would be, in my opinion, more exciting. Mike Anderson, who judging by his JUCO stats is capable of scoring from everywhere on the floor while also rebounding much harder than the average two or three, would be there. Darin Johnson, who I just spoke pretty highly of, would be there.

Dec 14, 2011; College Park, MD, USA; Maryland Terrapins forward James Padgett (35) goes up for a shot as FIU Panthers center Gilles Dierickx (15) defends in the first half at Comcast Center. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

With both Andrews and NWG capable of playing point guard in shuffled lineups, Romar would have a well-rounded nine man rotation right there, with NWG, Andrews, Wilcox, Blackwell, Kemp, Simmons, Jarreau, Anderson, and Johnson.

That would leave Dierickx out of the rotation, but for all I know he would be ahead of Jarreau, or simply serve as a tenth man in Romar’s pocket. This scenario would also allow him to redshirt Jahmel Taylor, while leaving Hikeem Stewart, who has given me no reason to believe he’ll crack the rotation, and walk-ons Dion Overstreet and Quinn Sterling on the far end of the bench.

Having Moser in that starting lineup would have obviously made the depth much more impressive, and the team more of a threat to compete for the Pac-12 tournament. But now that he’s a done deal to Oregon, this is where the Huskies stand (Unless Romar adds another JUCO player).

How well the rotation I just laid out actually performs next year will vary widely. On the development in returning players like Kemp and Andrews, who showed a ton of potential last year but who were still very raw. On the ability of Williams-Goss and Johnson to come in and play Pac-12 level basketball in their first year on campus. On the successful transition from smaller schools to the big-time for transfers Mike Anderson (coming from a community college) and Perris Blackwell (much less of an issue, coming from the WCC).

But unless they all fall way short of reasonable expectations, this team looks miles ahead of last year’s sorry squad, and to me it looks like year one of a return to the “Romar Way,” even if it may be a rough return at times.

With such a deep bench, Romar can rest his starters early and often. He won’t need to play his best guys into the ground like he did last year (when despite a nagging injury, Wilcox played 34.8 minutes a game, more than any player in the Romar era). Everyone will be fresh, and combined with the subtraction of the placid seniors and the addition of natural leader NWG and a greater role for the fiery Andrews, it should mean a more aggressive squad on offense and defense.

Does that mean they’ll win the Pac-12? Probably not. But they will have serious potential, and should grow over the course of the year, and after last year’s purgatorial season, that is big-time progress.

December 6, 2012; Berkeley, CA, USA; UNLV Runnin’ Rebels forward Mike Moser (43) drives toward the basket against the California Golden Bears during the first half at Haas Pavilion. UNLV won 76-75. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports

Alex Kline from The Recruit Scoop was the first to report that Mike Moser has made his official decision and is transferring to the University of Oregon. This comes as a surprise to many, as on April 5, Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports seemed convinced Moser’s choice would be UW.

For a couple weeks, this seemed to be the popular opinion, partially because no other schools had been named, and partially because of Goodman’s article, in which he said, “It’s almost done that he’s going to transfer and play at Washington.”

A couple weeks later, it came out that Moser was going to visit Oregon and Gonzaga. Until the news came out of his visit to Oregon, not only had I been optimistic, but excited. In a previous article of mine, I wrote about how Moser could have been the player to put the Huskies over the top this season and potentially make them one of the favorites in the Pac-12.

All my hopes and dreams came crashing down just a short while ago however, when the report came out that Moser has decided on Oregon.

Although I was a bit surprised by this news, it makes sense, considering Moser is from Portland and had great success in his time there. Moser was a two-sport star in high school, being a four-year letterman in both basketball and track. In basketball he earned first team All-6A Portland League and all-city honors each of his four years and was an all-state player his last three years. During his time at Grant High School, his teams posted a record of 76-32 (.704) and won the league title each of his last three seasons. The postseason success resulted in him winning the state title in 2008.

Moser’s high school numbers were terrific, including 28.3 points and 13 rebounds per game as a senior which resulted in him being ranked very highly coming out of school. Some rankings even had him as high as the No. 39 player and No. 7 small forward in the country.

He didn’t play much his freshman year at UCLA and afterwards transferred to UNLV. His first eligible season at UNLV was 2011-2012 and really broke out as a star, earning a spot on the All-Mountain West Conference team and being named an honorable mention for the AP All-America team. This past year, however, he struggled with injuries and his numbers were way down. Some suspect that another reason for his struggles was homesickness.

That is the reason given by Moser as to why he has chosen to transfer back to the Pacific Northwest. Because of this, it really isn’t much of a shock that Moser chose Oregon over UW. Although his hometown of Portland isn’t more than a few hours drive from UW, it is still over an hour farther away, and in a different state than the University of Oregon.

Obviously, this news is a bit disheartening for Husky fans. But I still think next year has a chance to be a great one, with lots of depth in the backcourt and the frontcourt.

For more details on how the team looks for next year, check out my article on C.J. Wilcox’s choice to return to school.

It was just weeks ago that Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports first reported that Moser would be transferring from UNLV. In that report, he said Washington was his “likely” destination. We, along with many others, ran with that news and it seemed like a forgone conclusion that Moser would be headed to Montlake.

Of course, it looks like that is no longer happening and Lorenzo Romar has lost out on another big recruit. Rumors had been circling that Washington was still a likely destination for Moser, even though he had decided to take visits to Gonzaga and Oregon, as well as Washington.

Apparently Dana Altman was more than impressive on Moser’s visit two weekends ago and was enough to get him to Eugene.

Like I wrote when the news was first reported, Moser would have pretty much made up for losing Aaron Gordon. Now, after losing both to rival Pac-12 schools, Romar is going to have to pull a rabbit out of his hat to save the season this time.

Don’t get me wrong, the Huskies should be improved over last season with key front and backcourt additions – Nigel Williams-Goss and Perris Blackwell to name a couple – but without the talented Moser, the team goes from Pac-12 title contenders to a NCAA bubble team.

Before you panic, wait for the news to become official, but right now, it is looking fairly likely. What to do now?

While the information itself broke on twitter, with Dave Softy Mahler appearing to be the first one reporting, Washington posted Otzelberger’s bio on GoHuskies.com just a handful of minutes later, almost instantly proving Softy’s “sources” absolutely correct.

The bio focuses particularly on Otzelberger’s experience as a recruiter, and runs through a pretty thorough list of the players that have found success at Iowa State during his tenure, including Royce White and Craig Brackins. It also goes over Iowa State’s success in the classroom and in the community over that seven year period, and finishes with a rundown of Otzelberger’s personal history as a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and his time as an assistant at Chipola Junior College.

It is always tough to determine how much of an impact an assistant will have on a college basketball team, especially as they do not usually control specific position groups like a quarterbacks coach or a defensive line coach in football. Recruiting is certainly the place where their impact can be felt the most blatantly, and so it makes sense that recruiting history would be the meat of Otzelberger’s bio.

Hopefully he manages to make a positive impact here at Washington, though at this point I do not know enough about Otzelberger, or how his addition could impact the existing members of Romar’s staff. More information as soon as it becomes available.

Despite his incredible athleticism, in-game passion and intensity, and track record of success at the high school and college levels, many doubted that the diminutive guard, listed at 5’9″ but realistically no taller than 5’8″ in shoes, would manage to find success in the NBA. Nonetheless, he was drafted 21st overall by the Suns, and found himself traded before the start of the year to the Knicks.

May 6, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Chicago Bulls point guard Nate Robinson (2) dribbles during the first half against the Miami Heat in game one of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

In New York, Robinson proved that he belonged and improved each year, and his success with the Knicks peaked in an ’08-’09 year that saw him average over 17 points per game in 30 minutes a night. However, Nate’s inconsistency and lack of size led many to see him as a streaky scorer and nothing else, and when he was traded to the Celtics midway through ’09-’10, he saw his minutes decline significantly.

His ability to get hot and change a game was made plain before a national audience in Game 6 of the 2010 Conference Finals, when he scored 13 points in the second quarter, but it didn’t translate into more playing time or a place in Boston’s long-term plans. He was shipped off to OKC along with Perkins in the Jeff Green trade, sat on the bench all year, and signed in early January 2012 with Golden State, where he played a similar role to that of his old Knicks days, averaging 11ppg in 23 minutes.

Before the current season, it seemed like that was Robinson’s destiny as a professional basketball player. To be a guy that could, in the right system, come off the bench as a spark-plug capable of scoring in bunches, but not someone to grant a starting spot or to depend on each and every night. He signed with the Bulls and played all 82 games in just this way, though 13ppg on 43% shooting (including 40% from three-point land) in 25 minutes represented his best play since the peak of his New York stint.

But then the playoffs started, the Bulls took on the Nets without Derrick Rose, and as injuries mounted, without Luol Deng and without Kirk Hinrich. So suddenly Nate Robinson was thrust into a starting role, despite suffering from the flu himself, and in the physical seven game series he played at a much higher level, and with more efficiency, than he had in the regular season. He averaged 17ppg on crisp 50% shooting, including a ridiculous 34 point outburst in the double-overtime win in Game 4.

But while the country was impressed with the resilience displayed by the Bulls in the Game 7 victory at Brooklyn, it was blatantly apparent that it would be the end of the feel good story. With the invincible Heat up next and the trio of Rose, Deng, and Hinrich still unavailable, it looked like a potential sweep in the making.

Until last night, that is, when the undermanned Bulls defeated Lebron’s Heat 93-86 in Miami. Jimmy Butler astounded with his 21 point, 14 rebound effort in a full 48 minutes, all while guarding Lebron, but it was Nate and his efficient (8 of 16 shooting) 27 point, 9 assist night that that made all the difference. Nate played 40 minutes, but would have played significantly more if he hadn’t had his mouth gashed open accidentally by a diving James, requiring him to come out of the game with 4 minutes left in the first half to get 10 quick stitches before he could return to start the third. But even most important were his 11 points and 6 assists in the pivotal fourth quarter. Robinson even hit what was likely the game-sealing shot, a finger-roll in the lane, with 45 seconds left in the contest to put Chicago up 90-86.

Just about everyone but Coach Tom Thibodeau and his players were shocked by the victory. The Heat are the best team in the world, the defending NBA champions. Even if Chicago had Rose, Deng, and Hinrich back fully healthy, the Bulls would have been pegged as an underdog. And yet here Miami was, surrendering a thin four-point lead carried into the final quarter, falling behind 1-0 with a loss on their home court.

May 4, 2013; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Chicago Bulls point guard Nate Robinson (2) shoots over Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams (8) in game seven of the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at the Barclays Center. Bulls win 99-93. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

And without Nate, it wouldn’t have happened.

So what does this mean for the Bulls? With such a small sample size with this lineup, it’s tough to tell. The logical thing is to point to last year’s playoffs, when the Pacers defeated the Heat in Game 1 only to be promptly smacked in the next four straight. Until at least one more game is played, it’s impossible to know for sure if this was a single game slip-up, if James and Wade and Co. will come back refocused and re-energized and defeat the less-talented and less-healthy Bulls.

But it’s important to realize that these Bulls are not last year’s Pacers. They are something special. Coached by Thibodeau, one of the great defensive coaches in the league, they play hard and they play smart without fail, and over the course of this season they have shown that they can defeat the Heat. In fact, they were the ones that ended the near-historic 27-game win streak towards the end of the regular season. I don’t think that Coach Spoelstra can make a few adjustments and suddenly dominate them for four straight contests.

This is especially unlikely when you consider how great Chicago’s home-court advantage is at the United Center. They just stole a road game, and even if they lose Wednesday, I have confidence that they can win at least one of the next two at home. If the Heat are going to defeat them, it will be a dog-fight in 6 or 7 games, not a cake-walk after a single bad evening.

Still, even with all of the fire and the resilience of Chicago, Miami is better suited to win that kind of drawn-out battle. Coming off of a 7 game series battle with Brooklyn, and severely undermanned, the Bulls are forced to play specific players too many minutes. Jimmy Butler, who is in charge of guarding Lebron James for the whole series, has played 48 minutes in three straight games. Young and well-conditioned as he may be, I don’t think that this is sustainable, and over a full series, these guys playing 40+ minutes may wear down.

Not to mention that while Lebron, Wade, and definitely Bosh have proven themselves capable of significantly better performances, many of Chicago’s key contributors cannot be depended on to produce at such a high level over a whole series. Jimmy Butler played with a ton of grit in amassing 21 points, but who really wants to bet he can do that against Lebron five or six more times? Sure, if he wanes, guys like Boozer and Belinelli who struggled offensively in Game 1 could step up and perform better, but it’s a fragile balance for a team with such a razor-thin bench. They can’t afford an off night, and they definitely can’t afford a single new injury.

The Heat should certainly still be the favorites to win this series. But wouldn’t it be something truly astonishing to witness if they continued to lose?

As for Nate Robinson as an individual? He played pretty well for the Bulls all year long, but he has never played as well over a full season in his nine years as he has played in this postseason. However, I do think that this time, people are noticing. He doesn’t just seem to be on a hot streak, he is also playing better basketball. He is making smarter passes, and his once outrageous shot selection has been reined in some without sacrificing his patented in-game confidence. He believes he can hit anything, but he’s putting himself in position to take more efficient shots. He will never be a great, or even good, defender given his height, and he still has regular mental lapses on that side of the ball, but even these mistakes have been cut down significantly under Thibodeau’s watchful eye.

May 6, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose (left) greets teammate point guard Nate Robinson (right) during a timeout in the second half against the Miami Heat in game one of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. The Bulls won 93-86. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

With every game he plays this well as a starter, I’m becoming more and more convinced that this isn’t a coincidence, or a prolonged hot-streak. I believe it’s a result of a full year in Tom Thibodeau’s system, and a growing maturity in Robinson himself. Thibodeau is a coach that gets everything out of his players, and I think that Robinson is thriving in a system that is allowing him to play creatively, but doesn’t tolerate laziness on defense or wild, hero-ball antics.

A free agent after this season, in which he made the veteran minimum, it’s likely that this stretch, especially if it continues deep into this series or even beyond, will lead a solid contract for Robinson. Maybe that means some struggling team will take a risk on him, sign him to an inflated contract, and hope he can play this way all year long as a starter. If Nate is thinking straight, he won’t go that direction.

He has spoken time and time again over the last few weeks how much he loves this team, how much he loves Chicago. He should accept a solid offer from the Bulls, likely as a sixth-man off the bench once Rose returns (he has to return by next season, right?) to the starting point guard spot, and prove over a full year that he can score his team’s way back into games while continuing to improve his efficiency, both in his shooting and his passing, in a system that brings out the best in him.

I think the Bulls will be more than happy to give him some decent money, especially with all the uncertainty and oddity surrounding Rose’s recovery from his knee injury, as they will need him as a dynamic insurance policy at worst, and will benefit from him as a fiery sixth-man at best. But they are a smart organization, and if teams start waving stupid money at him Jeremy Lin-style, they won’t get into a bidding war for a guy that has not shown he can play at this high level over a long period of time.

I, for one, hope the Bulls continue this wonderful postseason run with Nate the Great leading the charge, and regardless of whether or not they beat the Heat, I hope Robinson realizes the value of his role in Chicago, and chooses to stay there in the future, even if it means signing a discounted contract.

I don’t mean to pile on, but anyone who watched a single game last year understands. It was rough, and most of it stemmed from two primary issues: a lack of leadership, both as far as a vocal leader goes, and a primary, reliable scorer, and an inability to take care of the fundamental elements of proper basketball. As far as leadership goes, with Gaddy, Suggs, and N’Diaye, all stand-up guys and teammates that nonetheless were not leaders, having graduated, there is definitely opportunity for players to step into new leadership roles.

That could mean someone already on the roster feeling comfortable asserting himself on the court and/or in the locker room now that more senior players have moved on. Andrew Andrews seems to be the most likely player to fit this description, as he played with a ton of fire, and often seemed very frustrated with a lack of energy, or a lack of diligence, among his teammates. With a year to develop his game, and another year of seniority, I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes beyond simply barking instructions or venting frustration, and becomes more of an all around team leader.

As far as incoming players, it may be a bit unreasonable to expect a freshman to become a leader in his first year on campus, but if anyone is capable of this, it is Nigel Williams-Goss, the four-star floor general that seems to possibly be what fans so desperately wanted Gaddy to be: an efficient distributor that plays with passion and poise, and a guy that can rally teammates and demand the respect of a locker room. Obviously too early to put all that on him, but there is a chance for tangible solutions to the leadership issue.

As far as the fundamentals? That problem is exactly why I am so excited about Mike Anderson, and what his presence could indicate about the direction Washington basketball is headed in the next couple years. Anderson is a JUCO transfer, and so naturally he hasn’t been talked about much. Didn’t get as much hype as NWG, or even Darin Johnson, when he committed, but if you take a look at his stats, it becomes clear that he is someone to get excited about.

At Moberly Area CC, he averaged a gritty 17 points and 10 rebounds per game. For a 6’5″ guard to average double-digit rebounds, even at the JUCO level, is impressive, and shows an approach to the game from Anderson that will be very valuable to Washington. As far as how he scored the 17 a game? 54% from the field, 44% from three point range, and 82% from the line.

Anderson won’t play the same role with Washington that he played at his CC. He almost certainly won’t start, won’t get all that many minutes. But, if his incredibly rugged and efficient stats at Moberly Area CC carry over at all to the Pac-12, whenever he does play, he can be expected to hit open jump shots, slash to the hoop (one of Washington’s biggest weaknesses on offense last year), and rebound much harder than the average guard.

To have a guy like that, who can be depended on to hit smart shots from anywhere on the floor, coming off of your bench is a huge asset, and it’s a luxury the Huskies simply didn’t have last year, when the bench was razor thin and almost completely devoid of scoring from the guard spot. In the same vein, from the post, is Perris Blackwell, who transferred last year from San Francisco, sat out the season, and will be able to contribute next year. If Moser spurns the Huskies, I think it’s likely he starts. But if Moser takes over at the four, having both Blackwell, a guy with soft hands and a great low-post game, and Anderson coming off the bench will go a long ways to fixing the issue of smart, fundamental basketball here at the University of Washington.

March 21, 2013; San Jose, CA, USA; UNLV Rebels forward Mike Moser (43) dunks against the California Golden Bears during the second half of the second round of the 2013 NCAA tournament at HP Pavilion. California defeated UNLV 64-61. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Of course, it’s also what we do in the middle of the off season, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try to be logical and pragmatic in those projections. So let’s try to dig into the numbers a bit to see just how valuable Mike Moser would be for Coach Romar and his program.

Much of the hype surrounding Moser as a senior, post-grad transfer is tied to his 2011-2012 season, his first on the court for UNLV after sitting out 2010-2011 following a transfer from UCLA. The 6’8″ 210-pound Moser played power forward, and averaged 14.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 blocks, and 1.9 steals in 31.4 minutes per game. Not only are those raw numbers, especially the double-digit rebounds and abnormally high (for a big man) steal totals, impressive, but the percentages were also reasonably efficient. 45% even from the field on just under 12 field goal attempts per game, 33% from three-point land on 3.8 attempts, and 78% from the free-throw line.

Moser largely found this success as an athletic stretch-four in UNLV’s fast-pace system. He is a high-flier who can finish at the rim, but he also popped out for jumpers, very successfully from mid-range, and fairly efficiently from three-point range, especially for a power forward. On defense, I really can’t say too much about his overall quality of play, as I haven’t watched him play nearly enough, but even an uneven defensive player when it comes to rotations and help is just fine when contributing a block and just under two steals per contest.

If Moser waltzed onto campus next season and gave Romar 14 and 10 with a block and two steals at the four, with that same level of efficiency, it really would be no exaggeration to say that the Huskies would legitimately compete for the conference title. Unfortunately, there is one looming issue that prevents that assumption from being safe: last season.

UNLV was joined by super-recruit Anthony Bennett, a bruising power forward that has already declared for the draft after one year and will likely go in the top-5 in June. Moser was moved to the small forward spot, which probably seemed like the logical choice given his 6’8″ 210-pound frame, high-level athleticism, and uncommon (for a four) ball-handling and shooting skills.

In the first six contests, he averaged 12 points and 9 boards per contest, but never shot greater than 50% from the floor in any of those games. Then he was bogged down by a fairly gruesome dislocated elbow suffered against Cal on the 9th of December. He missed six of the next seven games and never really recaptured the success of the previous season, often logging right around 20 minutes per game, sometimes less, while struggling with his shooting. He finished with season averages of 7.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, .7 blocks, and .8 steals. His efficiency also took a steep dive, with 36% shooting from the field, 26% from three, and a solid 76% from the line.

Suddenly when trying to project Moser’s potential impact for either UW, Oregon, or Gonzaga, things are more complicated. Do you chalk up the sharp decline as a lost season, blame it on position change and injury issues, and assume that Moser would put up stats more similar to his first season on the floor for UNLV? Do you take the more cautious approach, guessing that his stats would fall somewhere in the middle? It’s a tough call, especially when you take into account the fact, previously mentioned, that Moser will be living in a new city, attending a new school, dealing with a new coach, and playing within a new system. Until he takes the floor next fall, it will be impossible to know for sure whether that will help him or hurt him.

Feb 23, 2013; Laramie, WY, USA; UNLV Runnin

So, after waffling around and covering all possible bases, what’s my take? I fall into the “lost season” camp. Moser is very, very talented, and his skill-set is uncommonly well-rounded. After such a successful year in 2011-2012, it makes just about zero sense that he would cut his stats by roughly 40% and take a 10% hit to his shooting percentages just because. He was yanked out of his preferred position, and had his role as the team’s go-to guy taken by Bennett, the same guy that took his position. That alone probably meant at least a bit of a decline to his raw stats. 14/10 down to 11/8, let’s say, given that he would naturally attempt fewer shots, and have a very talented rebounder, who wasn’t on the roster the year before, to compete with for boards.

That’s right around where Moser was in those first six games before the injury. 12/9, and it’s reasonable to guess that his poor shooting over that small sample size would have rebounded, if not all the way to 45% and 33%. Then he suffered a rough, painful injury, and when he returned, his role on the team was not the same. Whether this was due to his poor health, due to his relationship with the coach, or simply due to the makeup of the team with Bennett playing the four and Moser perhaps a poor fit as a small forward, I do not know, but the guy went from 30 minutes a game to 20 minutes a game, and that will smack a player’s confidence and stop them from finding any sort of game to game rhythm, especially when that player was previously locked in as a key contributor. Also worth thinking about: Moser is transferring. To me, that clearly indicates that he wasn’t happy with his role, and it probably indicates some tension with coach Dave Rice, at least as far as Moser’s minutes and position go.

If he picks Washington, he has a fresh start with Romar, and a clear role as a starter at the four. With C.J. Wilcox operating best when he isn’t the focal point of the offense, which allows him to run around screens to get open without being double-teamed, Moser would be the number-one guy. He could run the pick and roll with a guard, popping out for mid-range jumpers. He would certainly be a fine facilitator for Washington’s high-post offense. Likely starting alongside Shawn Kemp Jr, Moser’s presence on the floor would also improve spacing, given that Kemp’s developing mid-range jumper is still limited, while his low-post game is more of an asset.

It just fits, and with Andrew Andrews and the highly-touted freshman Nigel Williams-Goss possibly starting at the first two guard positions, his athleticism would allow for a likely return to Washington’s former fast-break glory. I’m not sure if it’s reasonable to expect the 2011-2012 stat line. Averaging double-digit rebounds is tough in college basketball, and the 1.9 steals may have been a bit of a single season outlier. But I’m confident that at Washington, and probably also at Oregon and Gonzage, Moser would average at least 12-14 points, 7-8 rebounds, a couple assists, a block, and a steal, and I think his shooting percentages will also likely recover to right around 45% from the field and 30% from three-point range.

How much this would impact Oregon and Gonzaga really depends on the role he would have there, and the talent they are developing. I simply don’t know enough at this moment about those two programs and their outlook heading into next year to confidently project that. But at Washington, with Wilcox returning for a final year and guys like Williams-Goss, Perris Blackwell, and JUCO-transfer Mike Anderson added into the rotation, the Huskies really do have an opportunity to compete for the Pac-12 title, and should probably be projected to be 3rd at worst.

Of course, for this to happen Moser has to commit to the Huskies, and you can check in here at Husky Haul for the news as soon as any new information is available.

Jan 10, 2012, Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies fans in the student section raise their hands during a free throw attempt against the Seattle Redhawks during the second half at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

It took a long time for the NBA’s second denial of Seattle to sink in. I went through most stages of grief (with the exception of acceptance. I don’t think this is over. Hell hath no fury like Steve Balmer scorned) and finally came to the realization that while this isn’t a death blow, it’s where we are at the moment and it sucks.

I also started thinking about the place that basketball has in Seattle. We’ve been without an NBA team since the 2008-2009 season; but as we’ve seen in the past few months, the passion still burns bright for hoops in the 206. We love our basketball team, we love what it represents, we love what the possibilities are with a new franchise, and we love the memories that we have growing up watching the Sonics.

Right now, at this critical juncture, we cannot let our passion for an NBA team fade; it must remain white hot. As I came to this realization, it dawned on me that the exact same thing can be said about UW hoops. This is a time where it is critically important to not forget how much we love college basketball and love UW hoops.

The last two years have been maddeningly frustrating for the Huskies. Two years ago we had a team built around future NBA first-round draft picks and yet we couldn’t even get to the NCAA Tournament. This year we had a team that was supposed to thrive on chemistry and grit – and we were rewarded with a first round NIT game against BYU.

It doesn’t take long for that rabid fan base to start to lose interest. The Dawg Pack isn’t quite as clever or raucous and instead of piling 10,000 into Hec Ed, the “official” totals were closer to 8,500. Actual attendance wasn’t that even that. It’s a frightening thing to see how fast those “die hard” fans start to become apathetic and how fast the Romar supporters turn into those calling for his head.

Stop it. In Seattle, UW basketball is our pro game. It’s what we have right now. Be frustrated if they aren’t winning, fine. But don’t lose interest. Don’t stop going to games.

Do people remember what this team was like the year before Lorenzo Romar took over? Bob Bender’s last team went 11-18 and 5-13 in conference play. When the team won their last regular season game against WSU, they jumped and celebrated at center court because they qualified for the tournament; the Pac-10 tournament. They had to win their last game to qualify as the No. 8 seed.

How do I know? I was there. My fraternity bought 100 tickets to the student section five minutes after tip off, and we walked in to the student section. We sat down with 12:44 left in the first half. That’s how bad it was.

In the 11 years that followed, the Huskies went to six NCAA tournaments and played in the postseason in eight of them. That’s how good it was; right now it’s not as good, but the cupboard isn’t bare. There is talent returning and talent coming in.

The apathy toward the Sonics that proved to be the ammo Clay Bennett needed to move them to OKC in 2008 cannot happen again. It doesn’t matter if it’s for pro hoops or for college hoops. Especially right now, when the only game in town is the Huskies. We have to show them how much we care about them and how much what they do matters. That is what the high school kids see when they come visit.

The local kids who have offers to play all over the country can imagine how great it would be if they played in front of 10,000 screaming fans who watched them grow up in Seattle. They think about winning at home. When the arena is half full, that’s a much harder image to conjure.

March 8, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Tony Wroten (14) takes the ball down court during the second half against Oregon State Beavers during the quarter finals of the 2012 Pac 12 Tournament at the Staples Center. Oregon State won 86-84. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

This town has an incredibly rich basketball heritage – and a lot of it has occurred in the past decade. Take away all of the guys who didn’t go to UW but come from Seattle – Peyton Siva, Avery Bradley, Doug Christie, Jason Terry, Michael Dickerson, Terrence Williams, Aaron Brooks, Mitch Johnson and Jamal Crawford to name a few. Then think about the guys who stayed home and went to UW – Brandon Roy, Will Conroy, Jon Brockman, Nate Robinson, Tre Simmons, Spencer Hawes, Isaiah Thomas, Tony Wroten…it’s absurd.

They all grew up here watching the Sonics, dreaming of the NBA. Most of them made it and to this day we follow them and beam with pride when they call out the 206 on national television. They share the passion for hoop that we do. While we all wait and wonder what happens next with Chris Hansen and the Sacramento/Seattle saga, don’t forget that we still have something here to be passionate about.

So for UW fans that have become disinterested, get interested. Go to a few games. Be excited about this team. For the UW students who all of the sudden have better things to do than going to a home game in January or February, go to the damn game. Trust me, ten years from know you’ll wish you hadn’t missed a home game sitting in the best seats in the house.

Show everybody in the NCAA, NBA and beyond that Seattle is a basketball town, period. We love this game.