Dec 20, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Abdul Gaddy (0) jumps up to dunk the ball during the 2nd half against the Cal Poly Mustangs at Alaska Airlines Arena. Washington defeated Cal Poly 75-62. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Statistics: 10.9 points (43.3 percent shooting), 3.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists (3.0 turnovers) per game

What he did in 2012-2013: During his senior season, Abdul Gaddy continued his trend of being one of the most passive players on the Huskies. In my four-year review of his career at UW, I noted my frustration with his constant lack of motivation, seemingly. He showed spurts of stardom when he wanted to, but that was few and far between.

He was able to take advantage of not having a go-to-guy last season and scored in double figures for the first time in his career, but that came with a worse 3-point percentage (30.9 percent) and more turnovers (3.0). Neither of these things stopped him from trying to force passes or take unnecessary 3-pointers, though.

Generally, Gaddy performed admirably for much of the game as his averages indicate, but fell apart when it came down to crunch time. By the end of the season, the final two minutes of the game had been dubbed “Gaddy time” in honor of his late-game struggles. Most of the time, it came in hash tag form on Twitter, but was noted other places.

It’s hard to criticize a point guard who averaged more than 10 points and nearly five assists per game. Gaddy had himself a nice season with a few noteworthy games. Ultimately, he wasn’t a great fit as a Husky point guard, but still recorded respectable numbers.

What To Expect In 2013-2014: As a graduating senior, Gaddy won’t be back for another season, but he has pro prospects in his future. This week, Gaddy is playing in the Portsmouth Invitational with Aziz N’Diaye and 62 of the other top seniors in college basketball.

Various reports have come out of Portsmouth saying Gaddy has looked impressive. Because of his maturity and basketball IQ, he is said to have a bright future in Europe and may garner an NBA look eventually.

As far as the Huskies future without Gaddy, it looks pretty bright. They will be able to increase the tempo with Andrew Andrews and Nigel Williams-Goss running the point. With those two, the talent drop off is next to none, so expect a much more fun, up-tempo and talented squad without Gaddy next season.

At first it looked unlikely as the point guard had already committed to Arizona twice, but he then decommitted for a second and final time. This time he chose Lorenzo Romar’s program and didn’t look back, though four years later, he may have regretted his decision.

Choosing the local school brings added pressure for a recruit to perform after the fans have seen him dominate the high school scene for four years. We have now learned pressure isn’t Abdul Gaddy’s strong suit.

Gaddy was Romar’s first five-star coup on the recruiting trail. With that came lofty expectations; he joined a squad that was coming off of a 26-win season and a conference championship. Jon Brockman and Justin Dentmon were on their ways out, but a recruiting class that included Gaddy, Clarence Trent and C.J. Wilcox was supposed to make the transition seamlessly.

In a sense, they did, looking at the 26 wins and Sweet 16 appearance. Take a closer look and you will see the newcomers brought next-to-nothing to the table. Gaddy averaged just 3.9 points and 2.3 assists per game in over 18 minutes. He started 29 games, but rarely provided Washington fans with the sense that the No. 2 point guard in the nation was on the floor. Venoy Overton started only eight games, compared to Gaddy’s 29, but often played more minutes and closed out games.

While it wasn’t the freshman year many had hoped for from Gaddy, he was generally forgiven, as he was 17 years old for much of the season, making him one of the nation’s youngest players. His sophomore season came with similar forgiveness, but for different reasons.

Throughout the non-conference schedule, Gaddy looked like a completely changed player. He had improved his 3-point shooting drastically and was shooting 40 percent from deep, more than 35 percentage points better than the year prior.

Dec 8, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Abdul Gaddy (0) during the game against the Nevada Wolf Pack at Alaska Airlines Arena. Nevada defeated Washington 76-73. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

He had begun to see more minutes and eventually overtook Overton as the primary point guard. With the increased minutes, UW saw an increase in scoring from its point guard as well. He was averaging over eight points and three assists per game and just like that, his season was over. During a January 4 practice, he tore his ACL and the Huskies were Gaddy-less for the remainder of the season.

At the time, the injury was devastating to Washington, now, a few games without Gaddy doesn’t sound so bad. A once promising season was down the drain and as it turned out, so was his career at Washington.

After seeing the major improvements in all aspects of his game during his shortened sophomore season, he would never develop into the player fans wanted him to be.

His junior season saw his shooting percentages dive anywhere from seven to 12 percentage points and his scoring average decrease despite playing 10 more minutes per game.

Even with the departure of Isaiah Thomas, Gaddy wasn’t able to take over starring role for the team. Instead, Terrence Ross took advantage of the opportunity and turned it into the No. 8 pick in the NBA Draft.

Gaddy never seemed to be capable of handling the starring role on a team. He was never forced into the role, but also never forced himself into the role. Even during his senior season, the ball always seemed to find its way into someone else’s hands during crunch time.

This 2012-2013 Huskies squad needed a star and nobody stepped up. Not Gaddy, not Scott Suggs and not C.J. Wilcox. Nobody. Gaddy always seemed content being the next guy. After Quincy Pondexter left, he and Thomas could have led a dynamic duo in the backcourt, no, instead it was Matthew Bryan-Amaning. After they left, it was Ross and Wroten. Not once did the once heralded recruit step up and control his own fate, or more so, his team’s fate.

Many disappointments go down in history as “what could have been.” In my mind, he doesn’t go down in history. He came to Washington and was expected to deliver a new kind of excitement to the program. Fans still got that excitement, except it came from an assortment of different players not named Abdul Gaddy. If he is remembered 10, 20, even 50 years from now, it will simply be as a disappointment.

Bow Down.

Huskies guard Abdul Gaddy (0) and center Aziz N’Diaye (5) fight for position with Washington State Cougars forward Brock Motum (12) during the second half at the Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum. The Huskies defeated the Cougars 59-55. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-US PRESSWIRE

Is pre-season middle of the pack in the Pac-12 ok? Flying under the radar acceptable? Despite the success of the program over the years, the Husky basketball team is picked by many of the pre-season pundits to finish somewhere in the middle of the pack. The typical questions like, “Who will replace the scoring that was lost?” and a “light” recruiting class, have placed the Huskies squarely under the radar, at least as far as national talk goes. But is under the radar such a bad place to be? No, if a few key things fall into place.

Pre-season predictions are just that; pre-season. A lot of the pre-season hype is based recruiting classes, which sometimes don’t pan out. By the time pre-season predictions come out, teams haven’t even began practices. Further, you have to wonder how much the national media pays attention to the Pac-12, given the perception of the conference being “down” over the last few years. Finally, one thing pre-season predictions don’t take into consideration, and really can’t, is team chemistry. Talent is one thing, but the last I checked, basketball is still a team sport, and teams win championships.

Team Cohesion

There was talk, particularly at the end of the year when fan frustrations were at their peak, that the Huskies didn’t have the chemistry necessary to succeed. With no insider information at my disposal to either confirm or deny that assertion, I’d have to agree; not chemistry internally, perhaps, but on the court. This was exacerbated, no doubt, by the teams’ immaturity, but regardless, they failed to win the games they needed to. For the majority of the team, with another year under their belt, expect on-the-court chemistry to improve and roles to be, perhaps, more defined. All in all, an improved team identity.

Defensive Buy-in

It goes without saying – defense, in the Romar system, leads to easy offense. Last year’s team was too slow to the ball, missed key assignments and just generally broke down at key defensive moments, leaving the average fan scratching their head, as teams with lesser talent were able to find the “easy” shot. For the Huskies to exceed the rather blase expectations set by the media, they cannot rely on offense alone. Aziz N’Diaye will be the anchor down low that we’ve come to expect, but the Huskies will need an improved defensive effort on the perimeter to shut opponents down and win the close games.

Distributing the Ball

Eyes will be on Abdul Gaddy, returning for his senior campaign, sharing duties as a team captain and deservedly so. Look for Gaddy to be more ball-dominant as the team’s floor general. If forwards Desmond Simmons, Martin Breunig and Jernard Jarreau demonstrate the ability to knock down the open shot, they could contribute to a compelling offensive set of pick and roll / pick and pop ball. We know he can distribute, but Gaddy’s also shown a knack for getting to the rim during the summer league season, which will bode well both for him and for shooters on the perimeter.

The Pac-12 will be much more competitive this year. Can the Huskies exceed pre-season expectations? Yes, if they can locate early that elusive team cohesion, adopt a defense-first mentality and develop an offense that shares the ball. Don’t be surprised if the Husky bite takes a chunk out of the middle of Pac-12, and contends for another title.

Scott Suggs Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

The Washington Huskies team is certainly different this year. There is a lot that is unseen and unheard of for the coming season. Not only for fans but for the national media and the nation’s attention.

Once again, UCLA and Arizona are flying high on the national radar. Both had huge recruiting classes and are returning some important players from last season. USC is actually gaining some ground in the spotlight. Many are talking about a completely different Trojan squad with Jio Fontan back in the mix.

The Huskies, however, look to be an enigma. The national media isn’t sure what to do with them. Are they good? Are they bad? Who is their best player? Do they have a deep bench? Do they not? And with all these questions they don’t know how to answer, they still can’t regulate Washington out of the race. Or maybe they don’t want to.

Take for example, the article that I read last night by Eammon Brennan on ESPN.com. He is breaking down the Pac-12 in “best/worst case scenarios” and he also lists the top player for each team on the side. At the top he has 5 stories lines to follow during the summer.

However, his comments are really straight forward for every team in the Pac-12 but for Washington he seems befuddled. Take a look at his best/worst case scenario for UW.

Best-case scenario: For as much as Tony Wroten impressed NBA scouts with attacking athleticism last season, let’s not forget that Wroten posted a 95.5 offensive rating on the 13th-highest usage rate (32.2 percent) of any player in the country. Maybe losing Wroten to the NBA draft isn’t that bad, after all. If Abdul Gaddy and C.J. Wilcox form a more efficient backcourt, and Aziz N’Diaye can add to his low-post repertoire, this team might be a better — or at least more cohesive — offensive unit.

Worst-case scenario: The Wroten departure may not hurt, at least compared to last season, but the loss of versatile swingman Terrence Ross is a definite downer. Ross wasn’t just productive, he was efficient. Even with him, the Huskies couldn’t manage to make the NCAA tournament. Without him, and without Lorenzo Romar’s typical recruiting haul, the Huskies could struggle to get close.

On first read through you think, how is that even a “best or worst” case scenario. In fact, both the worst and the best sound like the same. On second read through, you can better understand his reasoning: the best case scenario is that UW is more cohesive and the worst is that they struggle to get close to the NCAA tournament.

However, it isn’t clear. And that is not Brennan’s writing style. The rest of the Pac-12 is answered in a pretty straight forward fashion.

Now, let’s look at his ‘most important player’ for the Husky team:

Washington: Scott Suggs
C.J. Wilcox and Abdul Gaddy are the most recognizable names on the roster. But don’t forget about Suggs, a sharpshooter who averaged 7.4 points and shot 45 percent from 3-point range as a junior two years ago. The 6-foot-6 Suggs, who redshirted last season because of a foot injury, could be one of the X factors for the Huskies.

Sure, he declares Suggs as the guy but does it in a way that leaves you guessing if it is really Gaddy or Wilcox. Especially, when his last line is “could be one of the X-factors”. Brennan doesn’t seem convinced it is actually Suggs. When in every other Pac-12 school he is definite on his choice with no other current players listed (except Arizona but that is only to state that it will elevate his pick for most important player).

What is going on?

Honestly, the answer is that the media, fans, both nationally and locally are unsure what to do with this team. Two of the most talented players may be guys that have yet to hit the court, Andrew Andrews and Mark McLaughlin. Then there is a guy named Suggs, who was red-shirted all last season due to injury. Gaddy has been an enigma from the beginning so he just adds to that puzzle. Aziz N’Diaye has been working on his offensive game, but fans have heard that before. Shawn Kemp is supposed to be in better shape and knows the system. We could go on and on about why there are more questions than answers right now but I won’t.

Instead, I will leave you with my best/worst case scenario for this enigma in the media’s eyes. They will either (best case), fly under the radar or (worst case) leave us in mystery for all of next season.

5. Will a star emerge?

Last year Terrence Ross stepped his game up and became a first round talent who led the Huskies through some tough times. He had some phenomenal games, like the comeback against UCLA, which kept the Huskies in the Pac-12 title hunt. With his exit, who will step up to become the go-to player?

The obvious choice is C.J. Wilcox who is entering his red shirt junior year after scoring 14.2 point per game. He doesn’t just get hot, he gets surface-of-the-sun hot. He does struggle to create his own shot off of the dribble which, hopefully, he will be and has been working on.

Can the forgotten Scott Suggs step up his game as a senior? People forget that he led the Huskies in three point shooting at 45% in 2010/11 and scored 7.4 ppg while only playing 18.3 minutes per game. I won’t pretend to be unbiased here; I’ve been driving the Suggs bandwagon since his freshman year. He has been absolutely itching to get on the court since he was cleared to play late last December but Romar made the tough decision to keep him on the bench and save his final year of eligibility.

What about the much maligned Abdul Gaddy? I’ll have more on him later…

Keep your eye on the practice reports and player/coach interviews for hints on who is demanding the ball late and has taken the next step.

4. How legit is Andrew Andrews?

The legend of Andrew Andrews began in high school when he put up 50 points in a game and then quietly committed to the Huskies with little fanfare. It continued as he impressed in last year’s summer league and fans began to wonder if he was a hidden gem. With the depth at the point, Romar decided to red shirt Andrews and make Husky fans wait another year.

The time has come for Andrews to show what he’s got and impress the coaches (and fans) with a year of learning under his belt. Most are hoping that he can be a dynamic bench scorer that can be a combo guard and lead UW’s high speed attack whether Gaddy is on the bench or alongside him. He’s got speed, size, and aggressiveness that Romar love to see in his guards. With one tweet he showed that his shooting ability may be his most dangerous weapon. He beat C.J. Wilcox in a shooting contest by making 500 of 627 threes. Is he the complete package?

We’ll have to pay attention to what he does in the summer league and reports from practice to hear if it all adds up. We all know that Romar loves defense first, so keep your eyes/ears open if his defense in practice allows Romar to play him more.

3. Who emerges in the frontcourt?

It wasn’t pretty last year. I’ll leave it at that. Aziz N’diaye returns for his senior season at center but it will be tough to determine how much he has developed until the games begin. He put on weight last year while fixing his foul issues and that was a good step forward for the seven footer. After averaging 7.8 points and 7.3 rebounds in 23 minues, it would be great if he could step it up to average a double-double in 26+ minutes in 2012/13. Is that too much to ask from awkward Senegalese center? And free throws; has he improved AT ALL in that area? Maybe, but that type of output may be the key to the Huskies season.

With Darnell Gant graduating, it leaves a gigantic hole at the power forward position and more questions than answers in regards to his replacement. Shawn Kemp Jr. showed flashes of his potential last season but his inconsistency and flat feet leaves much to be desired. He has the right size and strength that make him the ideal fit. However, as I mentioned, there’s a lot that we have to see from him before we can pencil him in. He’ll be a guy that I will be watching very carefully during the summer league.

Martin Breunig wasn’t exactly perfect player either. He got dunked on more than he impressed last year which definitely isn’t a great sign. On a more positive note, he did show that he can score on the offensive end at a somewhat promising rate. In order to get on the court he will need to greatly improve his defense and add solid weight to his 6’8 frame. He’s an intriguing prospect who could be a dark horse but there’s a lot for him to learn before Romar will give him extended playing time. Unfortunately the summer league is not the place to see defensive improvements.

Desmond Simmons may be the leader in the clubhouse for extended playing time at the four even though he’s a more natural wing. Simmons wasn’t the “Romar Prototype” last year that we all wished he could be as his shooting touch from three point range and his defense left a lot to be desired. All reports before last season spoke highly of his shooting touch and defensive intensity. Were the reports and scouts wrong or did he just struggle adjusting as a freshman? Hopefully he regains his touch and feels more comfortable with his abilities.

2. What can Mark McLaughlin actually do?

We don’t know much about McLaughlin. The TCC transfer who averaged 27.5 ppg last season will step in to try and immediately fill the scoring shoes of Terrence Ross. He has drawn comparisons to Tre Simmons and Brandon Roy which should be a good sign. Early reports from summer league are that he has great shooting stroke and is incredibly fluid in the lane. He’s not the strongest, fastest, or most athletic but, like Roy, he puts it all together into a very dangerous package. I don’t care what league it is, AVERAGING 27.5 ppg is impressive and if he can average half of that this season the Huskies will be just fine.

He’s saying all of the right things when it comes to his dedication to defense which, as we know, is at the top of Romar’s wish list. His commitment to defense will probably be the number one thing in deciding how much early playing time he will get and ultimately what his role will become.

Personally, he’s the player that I’m most excited to see and read about. How will he adjust to the speed of the Pac-12? Will his scoring translate against bigger and better post defenders? Is  he a liability on defense? How dedicated is he to becoming a true star? Definitely stay tuned on this one.

1.  Which Abdul Gaddy shows up for his swan song?

Outside of the “Human Lightning Rod” known as Tony Wroten, Abdul Gaddy was the victim of most of Husky fans’ rage last year, including myself. I think that it’s fair to say that his knee injury in 2010/11 has left him a step (or two) slow which really hindered his game. He was forced to deviate from his slash-and-kick style to more of a passive offensive general. His shooting touch absolutely left him and his overall scoring output went from 8.5 ppg in 23.2 minutes per game to 8.1 ppg in 33.9 minutes per game. Not exactly the type of improvement that you hope for in a McDonald’s All-American’s junior season.

His struggles last year were one of the top reason why the Huskies found themselves in the NIT last year but he did show some very impressive performances in that tournament. His 11 point, 10 assist, 7 rebound game against Oregon showed that he does have the capability to be an elite point guard in 2012-13. With Tony Wroten gone he will certainly be able to better dictate the offensive pace and game plan. Don’t underestimate that factor. Gaddy MUST improve into an All Pac-12 First or Second Teamer if the

Husky squad wants to repeat as conference champs and make it into the Big Dance.

Watch for reports on his shooting stroke, quickness, and overall confidence. This is Gaddy’s team and it will only go as far as he can take them.

Washington Huskies guard Scott Suggs. The Cardinal defeated the Huskies 58-56. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

Last week, I analyzed and ranked the Husky Men’s Basketball roster from #14 to #8. Today, I look at who I believe to be the seven most important players on the team. I thought I would recieve a lot of negative feedback regarding my placing of Mark McLaughlin at #8. But, instead most of it focused on Hikeem Stewart and the thoughts that he will be much better, especially on defense, than we may suspect. Several said he may be like another Venoy Overton, minus the “off court issues”, who is a solid and pesky defender brought in to bother the opposing point guard. Others say his awkwardness on offense was not typical of his play in high school and given a more definitive role on the team will give him a chance to show us what he’s got. For the sake of the Huskies, I definitely hope that is all true.

Anyways, let’s move onto the Top 7 on the roster in this analysis series. There are many different ways you could argue about the “value” of a player. You could look at it based on who scores the most points, who has the best overall statistics, who plays the most minutes, who has the best plus/minus ratio, and so forth. For this feature, I decided to use this criterion; If a player suffered a season-ending injury in the pre-season, which player would have the greatest impact on the team’s overall win/loss record through their absence.

While this is clearly a subjective measure, it is the offseason, so there is plenty of room for being subjective. So, let’s go ahead and look at the rankings and see if you agree.

#7 Andrew Andrews (PG)- The Huskies obviously need someone who can handle the ball and be a leader at the point guard position to spell Abdul Gaddy, especially if he were to suffer an injury. Gaddy averaged more than 34 minutes per game last year and in some games logged close to 40. The Huskies need a capable backup to give Gaddy a break. There are two primary backup point guards on the roster; Hikeem Stewart and Andrew Andrews. For some reason, the Oregon 5A player of the year decided well before the season began to redshirt last year, while Stewart did not. Many people felt going in that Andrews would have been a part of the rotation, while Stewart should have been the one to redshirt. But, I do suspect that Andrews saw Wroten coming in and knew he’d have a better chance to step right in and play a major role after Wroten moved on. Most people who have seen Andrews play say he will be the kind of player you can’t keep off the floor. He is not just a PG, since he can also score (averaging 24 ppg at Benson Tech) and he could turn out to be a very good compliment to a three guard line up with CJ Wilcox, Scott Suggs, and Mark McLaughlin in various up-tempo combinations.

#6 Shawn Kemp Jr. (PF)- The son of the Sonics legend was a bit underwhelming last year. Granted, he had been away from organized basketball for two years while he got his academic situation in order, so he had a lot of work to do just to get back into basketball shape and learning Romar’s system on both offense and defense. Kemp was mostly ineffective in spelling Aziz N’Diaye and often was removed from games for Austin Sefarian-Jenkins. But, he did show glimpses of his potential, especially later in the season. Romar recently stated that Kemp was now fully in-shape and gaining enough confidence that he may be ready to become a real contributor. We know the guy can produce spectacular highlight dunks and is a decent rebounder. We also need Kemp to be reliable on offense and improve his free throw shooting. For the Huskies’ sake he needs to be solid, since without Aziz, the frontline will be woefully thin.

#5 Scott Suggs (SG)- The 5th year senior is back for his last hurrah. After injuring his foot last fall, he was expected to be back with the Huskies by December. When his recovery went a little slower than hoped, he decided to sit it out completely (especially given the plethora of guards on the roster). With Ross and Wroten off to the NBA, there certainly will be opportunities for Suggs to shine. He has had lots of time to work on his game (in practice late in the season). Let’s hope his ball handling has improved, because during the few times he was asked to play the point in his junior year (after Gaddy went down), he wasn’t able to handle it. But, we all know the guy can shoot! He plays good defense, although his lateral movement could use work and he has the ability to get inside to rebound. Suggs could be a difference maker to this team if he plays up to his potential. Putting him on the floor at the same time with CJ Wilcox could really extend teams since either can launch it from long distance, opening things up nicely for the bigs or for drives to the basket.

Washington Huskies forward Desmond Simmons. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

#4 Desmond Simmons (PF)- Simmons was a real enforcer up front for most of the season, providing critical rebounding and defense. Everyone loves his hustle and heart. He loves to get to the floor to save that loose ball or cause a held ball. But, he seemed to hit a freshman wall late last year, losing much of his effectiveness near the end of the season. But, that can happen to the best of them. Simmons has the chance to work on improving his offensive skills this off season. If Desmond can become more of a scorer, with a solid mid-range jumper, and more comfort under the rum, he could become a 10 ppg player. This would make the Huskies diverse and effective offensively by stretching defenses.

#3 CJ Wilcox (SG)- This is a guy that has a chance to become the first Husky to average more than 20 ppg since Christian Welp in 1987. Wilcox struggled through all of last season with a concussion, then a fractured femur that eventually became a bum hip. He was not able to practice most of the season, only coming in on game day, and then his minutes were often limited. Despite all of this, CJ was still able to average 14 ppg and was absolutely critical to helping the Huskies win the conference title and advance to the Final Four of the NIT. Assuming Wilcox is completely healthy, and knowing he will be much more focal to the offense with Ross and Wroten gone, CJ has a chance to really explode. If CJ Wilcox can expand his game by being more of a risk to drive inside, and possibly to dish it outside to Suggs or McLaughlin, teams will need to back off of him a bit, which would allow him even more open looks from 3-point land.

In terms of NBA potential, CJ Wilcox would rank #1 on the team. But, there are two others on this team whose absence would be even more detrimental to the team for two primary reasons. The first is the lack of similar and experienced backup players who can fill their roles and second, they play two of the hardest to replicate roles on the team; big center and starting point guard. At least Wilcox has suitable backups in Suggs and McLaughlin. I am not sure you can say that about the other two positions with certainty at this point.

#2 Aziz N’Diaye (C)- Aziz has shown himself to be almost irreplaceble. Perhaps some of that is due to the players brought in (or not brought in) by Lorenzo Romar to give him help or back him up. But, also as the famous saying goes “You can’t teach height”. Simply put, there just are not that many 7’0″ tall, muscular, and quick players built like Aziz. N’Diaye is critical to the defensive schemes of this team because his mere presence disrupts opposing offenses. He is a strong rebounder, good shot blocker, and can even score some points, mostly through putbacks. What Aziz needs to improve to really become a factor is to improve his touch under the basket and develop a better post move. With defenses extending out so much to cover the long distance shooters the Huskies have, Aziz needs to be a threat inside to keep defenses honest. He also needs to learn to just use his size and athleticism to just dunk the ball rather than do cutsy moves under the hoop. Aziz also needs to learn to be more selective on his choice of fouls, as when he gets into foul trouble his effectiveness on defense is greatly diminished. Lastly, he has got to improve that 38% free throw shooting average. At the rate he shot them last year, if he could just raise that average to 60% (still not great), he would average more than 1 ppg more, which could make the difference between one or two more wins for the team.

#1 Abdul Gaddy (PG)- Abdul Gaddy came to the University of Washington as the #2 rated PG in the country. He has mostly failed to live up to all of the hype. His freshman season was downright disappointing. His sophomore season showed promise before it ended prematurely with a torn ACL. Last year, we began to see a better and more confident Gaddy, who averaged 34 minutes per game, while showing improving leadership and stability. But, he was not a serious offensive threat in most games, and defensively he often struggled to keep quicker guards in front of him. While he was not a 5-star PG, he was exactly what the team needed to counter the role Wroten played. At the very least, Gaddy needs to perform at least as well as he did last year. But, Gaddy could become even more important to the team if he could become more of a threat from outside. This could also improve his opportunities to get into the lane driving and his ability to pass out to the wings or down low to the bigs. Percy Allen reports that Gaddy has looked terrific in the summer league. He reported that Gaddy appeared to be working on very specific parts of his game, rather than just playing the role of the straight point guard. Gaddy has been scoring at will, dropping three’s, and working on his drive moves. The only worry I have are the reports that he struggled to keep Anrio Adams in front of him (which is something Gaddy struggled with last year). But, overall, I think these reports could mean a very big year for Gaddy and the Huskies and maybe even a spot in the NBA draft.

Washington Huskies forward Jon Brockman and forward Quincy Pondexter both should have been Pac-10 Player of the Year in their senior season. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-US PRESSWIRE

Whenever people discuss who the most valuable player on a team (or in a league) is, there is often wide-ranging disagreement about how you define such an award. Do you give it to the player who is the best overall player? The one who scores the most or has the best overall statistics? The one the team relies on the most for  leadership, or perhaps the +/- statistics when they are on the floor? What about what impact having that player gone with an injury would have on the ability of the team to win games?

When Jerome Randle beat out Quincy Pondexter in 2010 (a record 5-time Pac-10 Player of the Week winner), people asked what exactly is the definition of such an award, if the weekly winner doesn’t win it for the year. Obviously the NBA didn’t see it that way since Pondexter was an NBA 1st round draft pick, while Randle went undrafted. Pondexter was a better scorer and rebounder. But, Randle was the point guard, and if he went missing, the impact on the Golden Bears would have arguably been a bigger loss than to the Huskies. People also rationalized it by saying, well, it goes to the “best player on the best team”. But, if that is the criterion, then why didn’t Jon Brockman win it in 2009 when the Huskies won their first outright conference championship in 54 years?

Then, last year, Terrence Ross averaged 16 ppg on the conference champion Huskies and they ended up giving the Player of the Year award to California’s Jorge Gutierrez instead despite the fact that he didn’t even rank in the Top 6 in any statistical category. If anyone needs to ask who the NBA thinks is the best player, then just look at Ross being drafted #8 in the NBA Draft and Guitierrez going completely undrafted (like Randle). So, apparently that best team saying only applies when the Huskies don’t win the title.

The problem with this kind of analysis is that even in basketball, with its small number of players, the differences in the size and abilities of players makes it difficult to compare them to each other. How do you compare the contributions of a 5’9″ point guard and a 6’6″ small forward? How about a 7’0″ center? Some shoot from long distance while others score from inside. Some play great defense, while others are rebounders.

You could analyze it by looking at the +/- data. The plus/minus analyzes simply how many points the team scores versus gives up when each player is on the floor and when they are on the bench. Some players who are perceived to be very important can often have a net minus (the team is outscored when they are on the floor), while other players who may not put up tremendous statistics have a net positive. The reasons may have to do with these player’s contribution to defense or their role in helping others score on offense. It can also include the intangibles such as saving loose balls or setting great screens. It could be issues of leadership and chemistry. But, since that data does not appear to be available (although rumors have it that Romar keeps it internally), we have to use a slightly different and more subjective level of analysis.

So, perhaps we need to look at it from another angle, one that is more subjective, but still important. Perhaps the MVP is not the player who is “the best”, or who scores the most, or who has the best NBA potential, but rather which player when missing has the greatest impact on the team’s ability to win games. Thus, in my countdown of ranking the 2012-13 Husky men’s basketball roster, I am going to use this as my question; If a player were to suffer a season ending injury prior to the beginning of the season, what impact would their loss have on the win/loss record at the end of the season.

Today I am looking at players ranked #14 to #8 on the roster, while in my next post, I’ll examine players ranked #7 to #1 in terms of their significance to the team.

#14 Gilles Dierickx (C)- This 7’0″ center the transfer from Florida International will have to sit out this year. The Belgian did not put up impressive stats as a freshman (2.6 ppg). He is not a traditional banger, opting instead to play more of a finesse game, with a decent mid-range jumper. He’ll likely benefit from a redshirt year to work on his game, learn Romar’s system, and beef up a bit. He will still be a valuable practice player though. He could be the long-term replacement for Aziz when he graduates.

#13 Jernard Jarreau (SF)- The 6’10″ small forward redshirted last year. As a guard early in high school who simply outgrew that position, there is much for him to learn about how to play under the hoop. He is said to be a decent outside shooter, but he definitely needs to bulk up to be effective rebounding and playing defense. We really are not sure what to expect from him because we have not really seen a player like Jarreau before. While this ranking may end up being dead wrong come February (and I hope I am ), if he were to go out with an injury the Huskies would not be affected from the stand point of their normal style of play.

Washington Huskies guard Hikeem Stewart. Washington defeated Washington State 75-65. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

#12 Hikeem Stewart (PG)- As the third backup point guard behind Gaddy and Andrews, I just do not see Stewart getting a lot of minutes. In his rare opportunities last year on the floor, he seemed very uncomfortable. Gaddy will average more than 30 minutes per game again and Andrews is said to be the kind of player you can not keep off the floor. There are many people who are very high on Stewart and say he will surprise some people. Perhaps that is true, but when you look at a team with as much depth in the guard position as the Huskies have, it is hard to imagine there being enough minutes for Stewart to play a major role. In fact, it might not even hurt him to redshirt this year.

#11 Perris Blackwell (PF)- Wait a minute. How can a player who is redshirting be ranked ahead of two players who will actually be playing? When that player is a 6’9″ power forward with three years of previous experience playing the likes of Gonzaga and St. Mary’s, that’s when. Perris Blackwell has a chance to come right in as a leader on this team in practice, as well as, to be an effective teacher and practice player for Aziz, Bruenig, and Kemp to learn from and get better going again.

#10 Austin Sefarian-Jenkins (PF)- ASJ was a much needed addition when he arrived on the team in late January. Romar was desperately trying to find someone to help Aziz N’Diaye up front and neither Martin Bruenig or Shawn Kemp Jr. could seem to do the job. But, he was raw, often confused on the offensive side of the ball, and made some critical defensive errors from time to time. But, we completely accepted that because he made up for it with his brute strength and desire to win. What we can not count on for next year is having him back. He seems like a sure-fire NFL tight end and Steve Sarkisian may advise him to focus solely on football for his own good at the end of the season. If he returns, awesome for Husky fans. If not, we’ll all understand and hope that the other forwards have improved enough to make up for it.

#9 Martin Bruenig (SF)- The German combo forward had a pretty disappointing season last year. While he has the size and skills to be a very good weapon for Romar next year, he seemed confused on defense and uncomfortable on offense. If Bruenig can get the hang of the defense and offer Romar some depth up front, especially from a rebounding stand point, he could go a long way toward taking the Huskies to the NCAA tournament. A break out season for him could mean very big things for the Huskies. But, if he repeats what we saw last year, the Huskies will more or less be where they were at last year. No big loss. So, it seems there can only be upside here.

#8 Mark McLaughlin (SG)- I know this will be a controversial ranking, given that McLaughlin was the nation’s leading JC scorer last year at TCC and some say he may end up being good enough to enter the NBA draft next year. There are those who say he’ll be a starter by the end of the season. But, the reason I placed him here was a big-picture kind of thing. Remember, this is a ranking of who would have the biggest impact on the win/loss column if they were lost to injury in the pre-season. The Huskies have two shooting guards (CJ Wilcox and Scott Suggs) who are experienced upperclassmen who have started for Lorenzo Romar and know his system quite well. They are extremely good outside shooters, have length and athleticism, play solid defense, and can together take up all of the minutes in this position if necessary. At the point guard position, we know Gaddy can play 35+ minutes per game if need be and they seem to have an effective backup in Andrew Andrews. McLaughlin has jumped around quite a bit in his career, so honestly we do not know what to expect from him. Will he be the kind of player Romar simply can not keep off the court? Or, will he be a role player trying to find his minutes? Only time will tell on this one. But, we’ve seen what this team looks like with Gaddy, Wilcox, and Suggs and what it looks like when they go missing due to injury. We don’t have that answer with McLaughlin yet…

Terrence Ross (Washington) is introduced as the number eight overall pick to the Toronto Raptors. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

This is part I of a two part series looking at the next set of Husky basketball players who have a chance to join the long line of Husky greats taken in the NBA draft. Part I will focus on the incoming seniors, while Part II will look at the underclassmen possibilities…

On Thursday night, the Washington Huskies saw two players taken in the first round of the NBA draft. Terrence Ross was taken at #8 by the Toronto Raptors, while Tony Wroten was taken at the #25 spot by the Memphis Grizzlies. This is the first time in Husky history that two players on the team were taken in the 1st round. It is still amazing to me that a team with two first round caliber players missed out on the NCAA tournament. But, that’s a discussion for a different day. Lorenzo Romar has certainly been able to maintain a pretty good stream of players being taken in the NBA draft.

Since the 2004-05 season, Romar he has seen nine of his players selected in the NBA draft. And usually there is at least one every year. Let’s take a look at his track record.

In 2005, Nate Robinson was taken in the 1st round with the 21st pick.

In 2006, Brandon Roy was taken in the 1st round with the #6 pick, while Bobby Jones was taken in the 2nd round with the 47th pick. Will Conroy went undrafted, but has played on various 10-day contracts in the NBA while bouncing around the D-League and international leagues.

In 2007, Spencer Hawes was taken with the 10th pick of the 1st round.

In 2008, no one selected.

In 2009, Jon Brockman was taken in the 2nd round of the NBA draft with the 38th pick overall. In addition, while undrafted, Justin Dentmon was able to make his way up through a couple international leagues and the D-league into the NBA on a few short-term contracts.

In 2010, Quincy Pondexter was taken with the 26th pick of the 1st round.

In 2011, Isaiah Thomas was taken with the 60th and last pick of the NBA draft.

So, 9 players have been taken in the last 8 drafts and only in one of those years no players were selected. That is a pretty good track record for potential recruits to look at. Everyone talks about how John Calipari has a track record of getting players to the NBA. But, really, does anyone really believe that these 5-star one-and-done prima donas wouldn’t have gotten to the NBA without Calipari’s help? But, with Romar a number of his players were 4-year players who really did need the time to “develop”.

Thus, it leads us to the inevitable discussion of who will be the next Husky great to get the call from the NBA. There are essentially two questions to ask here. First, are there any players on  the current roster who look like definite NBA talent for the 2013 draft? And second, will Romar get any of the one-and-done players in the 2013 recruiting class that would enter the draft in 2014?

First, let’s examine the current roster. In this article, I am focusing on the three seniors on the roster who will definitely be hoping that the NBA comes calling next summer. In Part II, I will examine the underclassmen to see who else might be possibilities to be drafted in 2013 or 2014.

Washington Huskies guard Abdul Gaddy. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

When you look at the seniors on the roster, you have Abdul Gaddy, Scott Suggs, and Aziz N’Diaye. Since this is their final year of eligibility, each of them will hope to get the call to the NBA next year. It is their last chance to shine, to show improvement on the things they need to work on, and wow the scouts with their athleticism, potential, leadership. Last, but not least, they must demonstrate that they are winners. This is a season of unknowns in 2012-13. Will this team with arguably less talent be able to get to the NCAA tournament, while the team with two first round picks could not? Getting to the Big Dance will likely depend on whether these three seniors have the kind of season that will also get them into the NBA draft.

Let’s start with the team’s starting point guard Abdul Gaddy. Gaddy has been somewhat of an enigma for Husky fans since he arrived. Gaddy was a highly touted 5-star recruit, rated the #2 point guard in the nation out of high school. He originally committed to Arizona for Lute Olsen. But, once Olsen decided to retire, he decided to stay closer to home. Many figured he would be a one-and-done type player, except that that wasn’t an option since he was too young to enter the draft. In fact, he was the youngest player in all of Division I in the country that year.

But, after a pretty disappointing freshman season, many people chalked it up to age (he was only 17) and inexperience. Gaddy did show some improvement during his sophomore year until he suffered that torn ACL early in the year that knocked him out of the rest of the season. Gaddy came back last year as the starting PG and played more minutes than any other Husky player. He was reliable and durable and definitely started to grow into the position. With a roster full of high fliers, but with no obvious leaders, you could see him grow more and more into that role of elder statesman as the season wore on.

Gaddy seemed comfortable as a play-maker, but definitely lacked much of the necessary explosiveness to be an effective scorer. He improved his outside shooting, but seemed to struggle taking defenders off the dribble or defending quicker guards. It will be interesting to see if he can finally blossom into the 5-star recruit that he was hyped as 3 years ago. This is his last chance to show NBA scouts that he has a future in the league. Currently, he has gone from a sure-fire NBA prospect to missing from the Mock Boards of both DraftExpress.com and NBADraft.com. He will definitely need to show the same level of reliability, improved leadership, and improved scoring ability to get himself back on the board.

Cal State Northridge Matadors guard tries a hook shot over Washington Huskies center Aziz N'Diaye

Aziz N’Diaye is another senior with a shot at an NBA career. In fact, his chances of playing in the league may be even better than Gaddy’s. While Aziz clearly has his limitations on the offensive end, his size and athleticism is definitely something that NBA scouts are looking for. As the old saying goes “you can’t teach height”. But, it goes beyond that. He is so strong and muscular, that he is very difficult to move out of the post and his ability to run the floor will be very effective in breaking up fast breaks and getting down the floor for rebounds on the offensive side. He could still use some improvement on his footwork, but his athleticism gives him the ability to recover when out of position to disrupt opponent’s shots.

While shooting 38% from the free throw line is not very encouraging, his ability to take up space on the defensive end and intimidate guards who drive into the lane could prove quite useful at the next level. His solid minutes on a team without much front line depth last year helped relieve some of the injury concerns by NBA scouts, but his propensity to foul too much has to keep them concerned. Hopefully Aziz will be able to stay out of foul trouble this year, he will improve somewhat on his post play and offensive skills, and he will be able to continue to show his durability. Currently, NBADraft.com has him as the #56 player taken, which is late in the 2nd round. But, DraftExpress.com does not have him on the board. If undrafted, I do think Aziz might be able to carve out a niche in the NBA as an undrafted free agent.

Scott Suggs is someone who is not really being talked about right now in the NBA draft. After redshirting last season, it is difficult to really know what we are going to get from him. After the former Mr. Basketball from Missouri arrived at UW, he had a disappointing freshman season (which many people, including me, felt he should have redshirted), an improved sophomore year, and a promising junior year. While he is certainly a good shooter from outside and a solid defender, his ability to dribble and run the offense need work. He needs to take on more of a leadership role next year, and needs to be a threat to drive to the basket with his tall athletic frame and ability to pass out of traffic. A lot of people are excited to see what he will look like in this 5th year. He could potentially have a real breakout season with the absence of obvious scorers ahead of him like Ross and Wroten. He biggest competition for touches and shots will come from CJ Wilcox. But, being more featured on offense could give him a chance to shine. But, I don’t believe that even a big time season would get him into the NBA draft . I think he could have a chance to make it someday, but it would likely similar to the route taken by Dentmon and Conroy via the D-League. Or, more likely he’ll carve out a nice little career overseas.

So, of the current crop of seniors, I see Aziz N’Diaye as the most likely to be drafted. Tomorrow, I’ll look at who else might make it among the rest of the roster.

Scott Suggs. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

The title of best player is always up for debate in the world of sports. Sure, some NBA teams possess super stars that leave little doubt like the Heat and LeBron James, the Magic and Dwight Howard, or the Zombie Sonics and Kevin Durant, but at the college level things change drastically. Several players contribute in a variety of ways to allow great debates about which player has the greatest and most positive impact on his team.

This past off-season saw the departure of our two best players in Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten. While some may not agree with declaring Wroten as one of our top players, it is hard to ignore everything he did for the Husky squad. What this means for the 2012-2013 season is a wide opening for several individuals to elevate their games to the next level and take over the reigns as the squad’s “Best Player.”

Being the best player is about more than points per games or how many rebounds a player can snatch up in 40 minutes. The best player needs to have intangibles that don’t show up in the post-game box score. The best player needs to dominate all aspects of the game and thrive because of it.

Arguably the best player in recent, if not all, UW history is Isaiah Thomas and he is exactly the sort of player I refer to when I talk about a guy doing more than just hitting baskets and making plays. I.T. ruled the court with both his skills and his attitude. The guy refused to lose. He did everything and more to motivate and carry his team through adversity as well as success. If you have any doubt about how good I.T. was and is, just watch this.

My initial reaction was to peg Scott Suggs as the best player next season. Suggs has everything a team could want in terms of size, athleticism, and experience. After facing a tough foot injury right before the 2011-2012 season began, Suggs opted to take a medical redshirt and return in full force for a complete and dominating senior season. Built just like Ross, Suggs stands at 6-6 and nearly 200lbs. Suggs’ long athletic frame allows him to elevate above the competition at the hoop and outside the arc.

During his junior season campaign, Suggs showed a huge improvement concerning his inside game. Suggs was able to attack the rim and finish inside. We are all well aware of Suggs’ ability to nail the outside shot. Suggs was arguably the best sharpshooter on the team in 2010-2011 due to his consistency and accuracy. Watching Suggs during warm-ups this past season has only increased my confidence in his ability to drain the long ball. As a fifth year senior, Suggs has more experience than most. Suggs has participated in 3 NCAA tournament appearances as well as having won a regular season title and two tournament titles (I won’t include his redshirt season as he did not play in any games).

I believe Suggs will step in to fill Ross’ shoes immediately and will make a strong case for Pac-12 Player of the Year honors. The one aspect on his game that Suggs can improve on to solidify his position as the Best Player is rebounding. Suggs has never been a great rebounder, but the increased presence of his inside game will allow Suggs more opportunities near the hoop to snag a few extra boards. I can easily envision Suggs averaging 16 points and 5 rebounds per game. That type of production combined with excellent senior leadership and tenacity would make for an amazing player and could certainly be a game changer in tight situations.

C.J. Wilcox should be involved in any type of “Best Player” argument, whether simply the Husky Basketball team or the Pac-12 conference. Wilcox averaged a quiet 14 points per game last season despite battle nagging injuries that prevented him from seeing action in several games and limiting his play time in others. With a full summer to heal the stress fracture in his hip/leg, Wilcox is primed to light up the court for what could be his final season. Wilcox is attending the Kevin Durant skill camp this summer along with playing the the Seattle Summer league games, giving him plenty of opportunities to work on his abilities before the preseason games across the Atlantic.

As with Suggs, Wilcox can strengthen his argument for the team’s best player by improving his rebounding from 3 boards per game to 5 or 6. A greater aspect to improve upon, perhaps more important than a few more rebounds per game, would be Wilcox’s ability to play into and through contact near the paint to draw fouls and free throws. Wilcox averaged 84% from the line last season and at one point had hit over 30 free throws in a row. Romar’s teams have always been known to be unsuccessful at the foul line, yet individual players have made great strides in improving their shot from the charity stripe and in doing so become game changers.

These individuals include I.T. and Jon Brockman. Last season, Wroten averaged nearly 8 free throws attempts per game, making under 60% on the season. With Wilcox’s 84% average those 4 points from 8 free throws becomes nearly 7 points per game. 3 points extra per night is a huge number from the foul line where close games are won and lost. What could ultimately hold Wilcox back from being the best player on the 2012-2013 squad is his quiet nature. In terms of sheer athletic ability, no one can match-up with Wilcox.

Wilcox has been the fastest at the mile, is one of the quickest sprinters on the team, and has the highest vertical jump of anyone. Wilcox out jumped Ross last season and we have all seen what type of plays can occur when a player has huge hops. If Wilcox can become not only a leader in terms of production, but also as a vocal and emotional leader, he could be a favorite for Player of the Year awards.

Aziz N’Diaye would be my third pick for top player on the team. N’Diaye’s size and defensive presence alone put him near the top of the list. N’Diaye showed great improvement to his footwork, post moves, and in softening his hands. The big man is no longer a black hole in the middle where the ball will never return from. N’Diaye showed better court vision knowing when to take his man to the hoop and when to kick the ball back out to the perimeter. N’Diaye is already a supreme rebounder, picking up nearly 8 per night, but could take another step forward by boxing out better on the offensive end and allowing his length to take charge.

Where N’Diaye can really improve is his offensive game. This has always been the weakest part of N’Diaye’s game, but his jump hook is improving steadily. I would also like to see N’Diaye throw down a few more dunks. Too often, N’Diaye is right next to the hoop and opts for a dainty little lay-in. Throw down, big man, throw down. Dunks are the highest percentage shots there are. At 7-0, it is hard to have a dunk blocked inside 4 feet. Take a page out of this kid’s book, N’Diaye, it’ll help you immensely. If N’Diaye can continue improving his ability to catch the ball and finish at the rim, he could quite possibly average 14 points per game on top of 8 rebounds and a block or two a night. All that production does not even begin to tell the whole tale, something I argued earlier would be critical in determining the team’s best player. How many times has an opposing player driven towards the lane only to see N’Diaye towering in the paint? How many times has that player then changed his mind and opted for either a terrible jumper or been forced to kick the ball back outside the paint? That is the type of impact that doesn’t show up in the box score. It’s the type of impact that every player should strive for.

A fourth, perhaps outside pick, would be Abdul Gaddy. Gaddy has struggled to live up to the All-American hype that surrounded him coming into his freshman season. Gaddy came to the UW as a quite young 17 year old, trying to compete against 22 year old players who were much stronger, faster, and experienced. Gaddy’s sophomore campaign started phenomenally, but sadly he blew his ACL right as Pac-10 play began. Gaddy spent the summer recuperating his knee and appeared to be on track for a solid 2011-2012 year.

Gaddy spent much of this past season looking slower and more cautious, something that was not all that surprising given his newly injured knee. At the end of the year, Gaddy finally realized how deadly he can be when driving the lane. Not only does it open the opportunity to kick out for an assisted 3-pointer, but it also allows Gaddy to get a good look at the hoop down low in the paint where his teardrop shot can be put to good use. What Gaddy needs to do in order to become our best player is to take this team over and make it his.

This will be Gaddy’s senior season. His last hurrah. Gaddy must develop that seasoned, vocal leadership this team so dearly lacked last season. Gaddy could average double digit points if he attacked the rim consistently and improved his 3-point accuracy. And, while it may seem greedy, I would really like to see Gaddy average 7 assists per game. Gaddy has amazing court vision and has a great knack for making solid passes to open players. I believe Romar’s play calling is what is holding Gaddy back from averaging those types of numbers. If Romar can develop a few more motion offensive plays, Gaddy will have more opportunities to deliver the rock to open guys on the perimeter and in the post. With the addition of Suggs as a steady hand inside and out, Gaddy has one more tool at his disposal to spread the floor and make things happen. Another important point to note is the absence of Wroten allows Gaddy to resume taking a majority of the point guard play time, meaning more play-making opportunities to boost his stats.

So who do you think will take over in 2012-2013? One of these four? Someone else? Let us know in the comments below.

Go Dawgs!

Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE

Monday night marked the opening of the Seattle Summer League at North Seattle Community College. Though the majority of Huskies slated to participate were absent, Abdul Gaddy, Mark McLaughlin, Andrew Andrews and Shawn Kemp Jr. were present. Below are some observations and highlights.

Abdul Gaddy was a late arrival but subbed in early in the game. Anrio Adams, Rainer Beach and incoming freshman for Bill Self and Kansas, drew Gaddy’s number on the defensive end. Adams picked his pocket a few times, but for the most part Gaddy was able to find his own shot. While a bit cold on the perimeter, Gaddy was aggressive with dribble penetration, particularly in the second half. He wasn’t afraid to mix it up in the paint either, rebounding and scoring with putbacks. With the athleticism the Huskies have had at the guard position in the last few years, it is easy to overlook the totality of Abdul’s game. What he may lack in short bursts of speed (ala Derrick Rose), he makes up for with excellent ball and body control. He has the ability to keep the defender on his hip and use his long arms to create the additional space necessary to get to the cup. Gaddy’s running mate for the night – Martin Breunig – was absent. Hopefully next week, we’ll see be able to see how they work together.

Mark McLaughlin played the third game of the evening. Husky fans, get to know this kid. I noticed some of the folks sitting around, mentioning they would purposely stay in order to see McLaughlin’s game. Though I’d seen plenty of tape on McLaughlin, I’d never seen him in person. My first impression upon watching him warm up – “He looks like a Husky wing”! Long, lean, quick and adept at handling the rock and shot creation, McLaughlin was, in large measure, the standout performer of the evening. From the perimeter, from the paint…it didn’t matter, McLaughlin looked at home. One facet of his game that Husky fans may not be aware of, is his uncanny ability to use his off-hand when going to the rim. Doing so, only adds variety to his already lethal and creative game and keeps opposing defenders on their heels. McLaughlin seemed to genuinely enjoy himself, talking and smiling with the officials and fans alike.

The crowd had thinned out somewhat by the time the final game rolled around, but all eyes present were on Andrew Andrews. As I said above with Mark McLaughlin – get to know this kid’s game. The only point which obscured Andrews contribution is his team was very guard-rich, with the likes of D’Vonne Pickett Jr. of Seattle U (tip of the hat to Pickett). Regardless, Andrews consistently demonstrated why Husky fans should be so excited for his emergence. I recall an interview with Andrews when he committed to UW in which the interviewer asked him what the coaching staff wanted him to work on. Andrews replied “strengthening my handle and keeping low”, (when he dribble drives, for instance). I’d say he’s put in work! On one possession in the second half, Andrews took the ball at the top of the key, and with the defender no doubt asking “What’s he going to do? Pull-up? Cross me over? What?” Andrews took the ball, and with a couple set up dribbles, spun right so hard, so fast, it took not only the defender by surprise, but the audience too. I know he busted my ankles and I was in the third row! Andrews also shows an above average perimeter game and real nice court vision.

Shawn Kemp Jr. (Sr. was in the building too!) played with Andrews. Kemp Jr. has a lot of potential and the opposing defense recognized this, oftentimes clogging the middle in an attempt to disrupt his rhythm. Early in the game Kemp caught an alley oop that seemed to be parallel to the floor and not really rising. It didn’t matter, as Kemp caught it, brought it left and flushed it home. I was encouraged by Kemp’s effort on the defensive end, rebounding and generally disturbing the paint. He didn’t score many points, but was effective while on the floor. Kemp, is one of the Husky bigs that has a chance to contribute this season at the 4, provided he is aggressive and wants it. The talent is there for him to garner respectable minutes as a sophomore. One side note, hopefully not an unfortunate one – he sat for much of the second half and seemed to have an ice pack on his right knee. He didn’t appear to be in pain, so hopefully it is something he can work through.

Games continue next Monday, 6pm at North Seattle Community College. Admission is free, parking is free and the basketball is more than worth the look.

The NBA season is over. Baseball season is in full swing. And I could care less because basketball summer league is in session. Today marked day 1 of the North Seattle Community College summer league where a variety of different UW basketball players showed their talents back on the hardwood. After four hours of sitting on the hardwood benches, we wanted to share some of our observations with you. As you can expect, you must temper expectations out of the gate as these game don’t feature much defense or discipline. It’s basically a glorified pick up game.

Several UW players were no shows today as many are making home visits to be with their families before Summer quarter begins. Missing in action were CJ Wilcox (Kevin Durant Skills Academy), Scott Suggs, Jernard Jarreau, Desmond Simmons, Martin Bruenig, and Hikeem Stewart. 

Game 2 featured Abdul Gaddy’s team. Gaddy showed up a bit late to the game and did not get a chance to warm up. But that didn’t stop him from going straight into the game once he entered the gym. The first thing I noticed about Gaddy is that he looks to be down at least 7-10 Lbs. He looks lean, mean and a bit quicker from where we saw him in March. His body type is similar to what we saw coming out of high school with more lean muscle. He struggled a bit in the early going, but soon got his outside stroke going.

He netted a total of 15 points as he was guarded closely by Kansas bound Anrio Adams. Rio was giving Gaddy some fits early on as he picked him clean off the dribble on a couple of occasions. Gaddy looked to be up to his old habits. He did a lot of a shake and baking but was not really able to get to the hole at will. It looked like the same old Gaddy in terms of his skill set and ability. Had Gaddy had a better supporting cast, I am sure a lot of his passes would have been converted for more scores. Once Bruenig gets back next week, I expect to see much improvement.

Game 3 featured the first look for many UW fans of Mark McLaughlin. McLaughlin definitely played as advertised as a pure volume scorer. The guy has a high basketball IQ and did well taking his man off the dribble with a mean cross over. “Big Mac” definitely shined in this game today from all over the floor. Most of his points came from inside the paint which is definitely surprising given his game film from TCC where he launched countless shots from downtown. Sterling Carter from Seattle U was guarding Mark in the second half, but Mark still managed to get his way to the hole with silky smooth handles and spin moves to free himself up in open space in the paint.

Mark definitely fits well into a high octane Romar-esque offense. In transition he is deceptively fast as he can get from one end of the floor to the other by gliding down the court. His ability to get to the rim and finish creatively in transition reminded me a bit of Terrence Ross. Though he is no where near the athlete Ross is, he definitely has the potential to be a more of a complete scorer as he can score from deep and can also get to the hole at ease with his handles. Again, we need to see Mark play against D1 level talent before we can fairly make any comparison to a player of Ross’ stature. Ross’ crossover is untouchable in my opinion, but Mark’s is used differently. Mark uses his crossover more so to get to the rim while Ross uses it predominantly to free himself up for jump shots. They are different players to say the least, but can both fill up the cup with confidence. The comparisons to Tre Simmons were somewhat valid in regards to his outside game, but I see much more potential in McLaughlin. At times tonight he looked like a quicker version of Brandon Roy when he got to the hole with his fluid movements and smooth finishing ability. He also displayed a nifty little floater once he got into the lane.

Mark finished with 29 points and 11 rebounds on his night. The one area I definitely foresee a need for improvement was on the defensive end as he lazily got back on defense for most of the game. Naturally these games don’t lend themselves to superior defensive effort, but would expect Romar to whip him into shape by the tip of the first game. Mark is rail thin and looks like he could gain 10 pounds of muscle to handle bigger and stronger guards in the Pac 12. I also would have loved to see more of his post game which I had seen in his TCC game film, but he definitely has the ability to post up smaller guards and finish. Again, this is way too early to gauge, but from what I saw today, Mark will be challenging for starter/6th man minutes from Day 1.

We can go off his summer game last year, where he impressed many but that isn’t enough to get a clear picture. And of course, many will be watching closely to his summer game this year. But we still crave more information on this under-rated player that has now accumulated hype for his freshman campaign.

Tonight, over twitter he showed what he can do from behind the 3pt line. He tweeted this picture to CJ Wilcox with the message, “I’m coming for you bro.”

Andrew Andrews on the machine working on his shot from 3.

You can find the picture here and the tweet here.

This is pretty impressive for the young freshman. And this should help relieve some concern about having a point guard with no range. He can drain them from three and is already gunning for Wilcox.

Not sure what Wilcox’s percent made is but it has to be just slightly higher because they both acknowledged on twitter that it was getting close. Regardless, 500/627 is a ridiculous amount of shots and to still put up 80% is impressive.

This is just the beginning of what looks to be a pretty impressive campaign for Andrews, he does seem to be the one that will most likely backup Abdul Gaddy and/or play alongside him in certain occasions.

OTHER NEWS: CJ Wilcox will be attending the Kevin Durant Skills camp. Terrence Ross was in attendance last year.

March 1, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Huskies forward Martin Breunig (10) falls over Southern California Trojans guard Byron Wesley (25) during the second half at Galen Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

One of my favorite yearly events is the summer league at North Seattle Community College. It’s a sanctioned NCAA event, and typically features numerous Huskies. I attended a number of the games last year and in addition to seeing some epic matchups, the games allowed fans to see new Huskies as well.

Last season, was my introduction to Martin Breunig, Andrew Andrews and Jernard Jarreau. Oh, and the audience typically included such basketball luminaries as Slick Watts, Jamal Crawford, Nate Robinson and Eldridge Recasner. Not too shabby. The vibe is really relaxed and laid back, with the crowd enthusiastically responding to each thunderous dunk, no look pass and deep three.

What are some of the things to watch for this summer? Here are some thoughts.

Back Court
First, watch how Abdul Gaddy leads. This is Gaddy’s team. He’s earned the respect of his teammates and coaches, and though the summer league is loose and only semi “organized”, it is nonetheless a fitting prelude for asserting one’s self as the floor general.

Secondly, as Gaddy’s heir apparent, watch for the development of Andrew Andrews. I was thoroughly impressed with Andrews’ pace, aggressiveness and ability to see the floor and get to the rim. In fact, on many occasions, Andrews looked like one of the few who wanted to play both ends of the floor.

Assuming they are in town, watch for the contribution of Suggs and Wilcox. I’d love to see them on opposite teams. I recall several times last year, like a good jazz tenor battle (for you jazz fans – all three of you!), a “call” would go out from Suggs or Wilcox, who would hit a long three, and Ross would answer at the other end with a three of his own. And back and forth they’d go! If Suggs and Wilcox are opposite each other, expect similar fireworks from beyond the arc.

Finally, watch for the contribution of Mark McLaughlin. Watch how he gels with his new teammates and integrates his talents into the flow of the game. The summer league should be a great platform for McLaughlin to show what he can do on both ends of the floor.

Front Court
Watch for the improvements of the sophomores, Breunig, Kemp and Jarreau. Making the leap from high school ball to D-1 as a freshman can be daunting, especially in a system like Romar’s, which demands so much particularly on the defensive end. Though summer ball is not akin to the rigors of league play, it should be interesting to see who asserts themselves.

Watch for Simmons to again demonstrate why he was so deserving of minutes last year, even if he did eventually hit a bit of a “freshman wall”. His hustle last year during the summer was in no way a front; he’s got heart and motor, which will no doubt be on display once again.

In a similar fashion to McLaughlin, transfer Perris Blackwell will be more than worth the look on Monday nights. The Huskies have desperately needed a big man with a back to the basket game, and Blackwell’s declared that to be a prominent facet of his attack. In a free-flowing format such as the summer league, Blackwell’s game down low will stand out and certainly garner some attention.

Games are on Mondays, beginning June 25th. Here’s the website and I’d presume that rosters will follow soon. Make it out if you can. Parking and admission are free.

Washington Huskies head coach Lorenzo Romar. (US PRESSWIRE)

Lorenzo Romar is heavily recruiting the 2013 class. It has been dubbed the ‘biggest recruiting’ class in the Romar era. Primarily, because there are some big time recruits that have UW on the radar. Players like Jabari Parker, Aaron Gordon, Isaac Hamilton, Marcus Lee, Nigel Williams-Goss, etc.

This has led many to believe that 2013 could be a mammoth class for UW if the pieces fall into place for Romar. Either way it has started with a bang in the verbal commitment of Nigel Williams-Goss and Husky fans are hoping that it continues.

Currently, the Huskies have one remaining scholarship for the 2012 class. Indications are that Romar isn’t opposed to using it for 2012 if he finds the right fit. UW hosted  Mouhammadou Jaiteh last week and he may be a potential big man to fill that last scholarship.

If not him or another 2012 recruit, there will be one more scholarship for 2013, bringing the total of certain scholarships up to four.

As of now, this is how it looks for 2013:

1. Empty scholarship from 2012.
2. Abdul Gaddy graduates.
3. Aziz N’Diaye graduates.
4. Scott Suggs graduates.

From there, if UW needs more scholarships, things are a little more complicated. Because as of now, with one open scholarship next year, three seniors graduating, and Williams-Goss committed. That leaves three scholarships for 2013. Husky fans were hoping for more but three may be all Romar has to work with for 2013.

The other options:

• Transfers- of course, a player could transfer and that would open up a spot on the Husky roster. Honestly, this could be a big possibility because of how mammoth the 2011 recruiting class was for UW. They signed six; Shawn Kemp, Jernard Jarreau, Andrew Andrews, Hikeem Stewart, Tony Wroten (now in the NBA draft), and Martin Breunig. The chances are high that one of them will not be happy with the amount of playing time they are receiving by the end of next year. However, maybe not?
• NBA Draft- The NBA could call another underclassmen on into the NBA. Currently, on the Husky roster there may only be one guy that fits that bill in CJ Wilcox.
• Then there is Perris Blackwell. As of now, Blackwell will have to sit out a year so he will be playing the same time as this incoming class of 2013. However, there was mention that he would try to graduate this summer and play right away in 2012. That would be another scholarship, however, it seems unlikely that he will be able to graduate from San Francisco in time.
• Mark Mclaughlin is a talent, some scouts that I have talked to have even said he is better than Suggs and would start over him. Others are saying if he plays at the top of his game he may be only be a one year guy. However, most likely Mclaughlin is at Montlake for two. He will free up a scholarship spot for 2014.

Obviously, the chances are low that UW lands every caliber commit they are interested in, so maybe the two or three open currently, is enough for Romar. Husky fans would say to this, “Romar Math” aka Romar always finds a way to bring in the guys he convinces to come to Washington.