May 11, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies small forward Quincy Pondexter (20) shoots the ball in game three of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at FedEx Forum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: B+

Statistics: 21.1 minutes, 6.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 39.5 3-point percentage

While Quincy Pondexter’s season may not quite be over, he has more than proven himself in the playoffs so far. Pondexter developed a consistent 3-point shot over the offseason and it turned him from a probable bust to someone who is getting quality minutes on a playoff team and producing.

He has struggled with consistency this season, but his breakout games have shown the Pondexter we all knew and loved here at UW. In the playoffs, when he gets at least 20 minutes, it’s likely that he’ll score at least 10 points or contribute in another way. When he’s not getting that many minutes, it is normally because he isn’t hitting his 3-pointers that game.

Once Pondexter develops a consistent way to score and contribute, he’ll earn himself more meaningful minutes throughout the season. If he can do this more often, I’m sure he’ll have general managers fighting over him.

Even as a role player, Pondexter has made a name for himself this season. A lot of that has come from him making clutch shots like he did as a Husky. It takes a little getting used to hearing his name mentioned on ESPN almost daily now. For a guy who averaged just over six points this season, he is sure doing it in a big way.

Apr 12, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Justin Holiday (14) shoots the ball as Washington Wizards power forward Cartier Martin (20) and Wizards point guard John Wall (2) defend in the fourth quarter at Verizon Center. The 76ers won 97-86. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: B

Statistics: 9 games, 15.8 minutes, 4.7 points, 1.7 assists, 1.6 rebounds, 0.7 blocks per game

Obviously, these grades are completely subjective. I like to think they’re based off equal parts performance and expectation. Spencer Hawes earned a “B+” while playing a full season of games and averaging about 11 and seven. I’m giving Justin Holiday a “B” because nobody expected him to be playing in the NBA this season.

He averaged 17.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in the D-League before getting called up to the 76ers to join Hawes and his brother, Jrue. In two of his final three games with the Idaho Stampede, Holiday scored 28 and 36 points, respectively. He clearly earned his promotion, but it is somewhat unprecedented for a college senior to go from undrafted, to starring in the D-League, to holding his own in the NBA.

He was only able to play in nine games for the Sixers due to the late nature of his call up, but performed well enough to probably earn him a roster spot next season. After playing more than seven minutes just once in his first five games, Holiday didn’t play less than 20 in his last four. He finished the season on a high note, collecting career high points, assists and blocks in his final games.

We all saw the drastic improvements Holiday made before his senior season at UW. It makes one wonder if he has that in him again. Can Holiday go from NBA role player to key contributor? After going from undrafted to the NBA in one season, I wouldn’t put it past him.

As Jrue continues to mold into one of the NBA’s top point guards, Justin will have some high family expectations to live up to. With Jrue at the point, he’ll certainly have some clean passes to handle as he develops.

April 15, 2013; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Spencer Hawes (00) shoots over Detroit Pistons power forward Jonas Jerebko (33) during the first quarter at The Palace. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: B+

Statistics: 27.2 minutes, 11.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.4 blocks per game

Now in his sixth season in the league, Spencer Hawes is finally coming into his own. Many thought he left Washington prematurely after spending just one season as a Husky. Those opinions may have been granted, but Hawes is trying to change those minds, both by standing up for Seattle in Sonicsgate and by performing in the NBA.

Statistically, the only season that matches up with this past one is his sophomore campaign with the Kings, when he averaged similar numbers. Hawes didn’t start every games this season, but for the first time in his career, he played in every one. After starting 81 games in 2010-2011, he was plagued by injury last season and lost a consistent starting spot. He eventually regained that and started 40 of 82 games for the 76ers this season.

Despite only starting in about half the Sixers’ games, Hawes averaged the second-most minutes of his career, with 27.2 per game. The increased playing time led to more consistency and better numbers from Hawes. As his offense improved, so did his defense. In a league with few true centers, Hawes is able to use both his size and athleticism to average more than a block a game.

While he may seem like an experienced veteran by now, Hawes is still only 25, after entering the league when he was 19. Among centers 25 and under, Hawes was seventh in points per game this season. After a nonchalant start his career, it looks like the Seattleite is poised to do big things in his next six seasons.

Mar 28, 2013; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks point guard Justin Dentmon (7) passes the ball during the game against the Indiana Pacers at the American Airlines Center. The Pacers defeated the Mavericks 103-78. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Grade: D

Statistics: 2.0 minutes, 0-2 shooting, 0.0 points, 0.0 assists,  0.0 rebounds

I can’t bring myself to give a guy who didn’t have a lot of NBA interest coming out of college an “F” for a season where he saw NBA action. An incomplete might be more accurate. Dentmon attempted two shots this season, missing both. One came in a 101-81 loss to the Lakers on April 2 and the other came in a 103-78 loss to the Pacers on March 28. He got on the court in four games for the Mavericks, averaging two minutes per game.

The 2012-2013 season came as a bit of a disappointment after Dentmon saw considerably more action for two different teams in 2011-2012. He played in two games for the Spurs and four (averaging 18 minutes per game) for the Raptors. Unfortunately, as a fringe NBA player, contracts can be hard to come by. The league knows what Dentmon can do — he averaged a respectable 5.5 points and 2.3 assists in four games for the Raptors in ’11-12 — what it comes down to is if there will be a team in need of a backup point guard next season.

After four years of starting for the Huskies, he hasn’t been able to find his niche in the NBA as some other fringe Huskies have. Hopefully the 27-year-old can latch on somewhere next season and play in more than a couple games. He deserves more than two shots a season, he just has to prove himself.

Nov 4, 2011; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies forward Martin Breunig (10) goes up for a layup during the game against the Seattle Pacific Falcons at Alaska Airlines Arena. Washington defeated Seattle Pacific 77-60. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

The University of Montana announced on Tuesday that Martin Breunig will be transferring to join the Grizzlies next season. Lorenzo Romar announced at a press conference nearly two months ago that Breunig would be leaving the program, but had not decided where he will go. It seems now that he has found his fit.

Grizzlies’ head coach Wayne Tinkle said this in press release on GoGrizz.com:

“We are very excited about signing Martin Breunig at the University of Montana. He’s a strong, athletic post player, and he really adds good size and strength to our front line. We are thrilled to land a player of his caliber, and we’re looking forward to his arrival here.”

When the Huskies signed Breunig, he was a bit of an unknown. Many saw big potential in the three-star recruit, but that never came to fruition in his time at UW. He hailed from the same town at Detlef Schrempf, giving fans hope that there could be another Husky great on their hands, but the German forward only saw time in nine games last season. In his limited time, he totaled one point, one assist, one steal and seven rebounds.

Unfortunately, things didn’t work out for Breunig at Washington, but after sitting out a year due to NCAA rules, he’ll have a fresh start at a smaller program, where he will have a bigger role. Tinkle seems excited about adding an athletic 6’8″ forward to his squad and he should be. Just because he didn’t perform at UW doesn’t mean Breunig is devoid of talent. He’ll have two years of eligibility left with the Grizzlies and should work his way into the starting lineup.

Many expected Romar to use Breunig’s scholarship spot on a big-time recruit or transfer, such as Aaron Gordon, Mike Moser or Zach LaVine; however, it doesn’t look like that will be the case. One “big name” transfer option remains in Anrio Adams, but Romar reportedly doesn’t have much interest in the former Rainier Beach star.

May 15, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Chicago Bulls point guard Nate Robinson (2) dribbles during the first half against the Miami Heat in game five of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

After rumors floating about for months and one already being cancelled two years ago, the Washington athletic department confirmed that its first basketball alumni game will take place on June 23. Not only will there be an alumni game with current pro players, there will also be a legends game between older alumni. Because UW is going all out for this “one-of-a-kind event,” there will even be a 3-point contest and slam dunk contest.

An impressive list of Huskies will be back in Alaska Airlines Arena one more time. Already confirmed to be in attendance are: Nate Robinson, Terrence Ross, Jon Brockman, Quincy Pondexter, Brandon Roy, Isaiah Thomas, Tony Wroten, Spencer Hawes and Justin Holiday.

There are expected to be two NBA Slam Dunk Contest champions participating in the Huskies’ version in Ross and Robinson. The two boast three trophies between them. Ross won the Slam Dunk Contest as a rookie this season.

The legends’ game will kick off the day at 1 p.m., followed by the alumni game and then the slam dunk and 3-point contests.

The event will be put on by 3 Point Productions, a group that works with the athletic department at Husky sporting events. Tickets are on sale for $15 right now and you can buy yours here.

Feb 2, 2012, Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Lorenzo Romar speaks with Washington Huskies guard C.J. Wilcox (23) during free throws by the UCLA Bruins during the second half at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Washington defeated UCLA, 71-69. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

In case you haven’t heard, Lorenzo Romar made two additions to his staff this month. Most recently, he brought Raphael Chillious back after a season at Villanova. The other name isn’t so familiar. T.J. Otzelberger comes to Washington after spending the last seven seasons at Iowa State. He spent his first four seasons at Iowa State as an assistant coach under Greg McDermott before Fred Hoiberg took over. Under Hoiberg, Otzelberger acted as associate head coach.

At Iowa State, Otzelberger was mostly known for his recruiting prowess. Throughout his tenure there, he helped bring in NBA draft picks Craig Brackins, Mike Taylor and Justin Hamilton among others. While that was his main role, Otzelberger eventually grew into a bigger role in game planning as well. As his role became bigger, the Cyclones record got better. In Otzelberger’s three years as associate head coach, the Cyclones made the NCAA twice (the two years the Huskies did not).

The move to Washington is a natural progression in Otzelberger’s career that he hopes to one day lead to a head coaching job. With his track record, it shouldn’t be hard for Romar to expand his coaching tree. For now, though, he is in Seattle to help the Huskies get back to the expectations that were established nearly a decade ago.

While the roles are still being established within the coaching staff, it is expected that Otzelberger will rank high as an assistant under Romar. He brings two key qualities: recruiting and X’s and O’s.

As a high-up assistant, Otzelberger should make a big impact in both areas, being an ace recruiter as well as helping a sometimes-stagnant offense.

It is no secret that the Huskies have lost out on some big time recruits over the last few years, many being post players, leading to a rather depleted frontcourt recently. This is where Otzelberger can make the biggest impact.

The additions of Chillious and Otzelberger compare nicely to Steve Sarkisian’s additions of Justin Wilcox and Tosh Lupoi. Both coaches know what they’re doing on the field, but really can make an impact off the field too, with recruiting.

Lupoi practically singlehandedly switched Shaq Thompson to Washington; maybe Otzelberger or Chillious can do the same in the future. Maybe Romar isn’t enough anymore. For a team to be truly elite, it has to have elite talent and/or coaching. With a staff that includes Romar, Otzelberger, Chillious, Jim Shaw, Paul Fortier and Brad Jackson, we know the coaching is there. With the additions of two top recruiters, the talent should be there in no time.

After two down seasons, things are looking up for the Dawgs. This is arguably the best coaching staff Romar has had in his twelve seasons at Washington. The roster is oozing with potential, as well as future rosters with the new possible recruits Otzelberger could help attract. He should help revitalize Husky basketball.

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.