Romar seems very excited about the move from this article of on GoHuskies.com…

I have tried to hire him before and it just didn’t work out. He is successful, very accomplished and knows the Northwest. He has been here forever. He is definitely going to help our program.

There will be a press conference on Monday where Romar will discuss the new hire and the upcoming trip to Europe and Africa. With only a certain amount of assistant coaching positions available, there needs to be a corresponding move made which is probably also going to be announced on Monday.

I don’t think it’s just a coincidence that rumors also began earlier this week that current Husky assistant Raphael Chillious was in contact with Villanova under coach Jay Wright. That move makes sense as Coach Chill has northeast ties who is highly regarded for his recruiting abilities and connections to Nike.

CBS’s Jeff Goodman had this to say in regard to the Chillous rumors..

Villanova expected to hire Washington assistant Raphael Chillious, per source. Should be official early next week. Important hire for ‘Nova.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanCBS) August 17, 2012

I don’t know a lot about Coach Jackson other than he is highly respected in terms of his basketball knowledge and teaching ability, but there’s no doubt that his recruiting prowess won’t be as high as Coach Chill’s.

From what I’ve read, (not a lot) Coach Chillious has not been the “point man” on the 2013 recruits like Jabari Bird and Aaron Gordon. Those have been long standing Romar relationships so I wouldn’t expect the potential of the 2013 class to take a nose dive.

We’ll have more Monday (or sooner) when more details are released.

Washington Huskies guard C.J. Wilcox. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE

Mark McLaughlin decided to leave the University of Washington to “pursue other opportunities” and sources are indicating that it may be paid opportunities overseas.

However, in light of his departure there is a hole that needs to be filled. This is not indicative of the hole that was left in the 2012 recruiting class that now has zero recruits listed in it. The hole that needs to be filled is his spot in and on the rotation. He was going to play a big role in it.

There were some that even thought he could start over one of the other guards because of his ability to score. He was the leading point scorer in the country last season on all collegiate levels at over 26 points a game. His ability to find a seam in the defense, shoot from deep, and take it to the hole would have fit extremely well in the Husky system.

Now, Lorenzo Romar and the Huskies are left with just a few pure shooting guards.

There are two shooting guards on the roster in Scott Suggs and CJ Wilcox. There is also Hikeem Stewart who we have yet to determine how he fits best in the rotation (point guard or shooting guard). Then the Dawgs have a couple point guards in Abdul Gaddy and Andrew Andrews.

This may leave the Huskies with some of the least amount of guards they have had in years. There is now no room to red-shirt anyone, especially with two transfers already on the bench.

Possible help in the rotation:

• Gaddy and Andrews may need to play alongside each other a little more. This would most likely push Gaddy into the main role while they look for Andrews along the perimeter. He is known for his deep three-point shot.
• Stewart will need to find his rhythm and get fully adjusted to the college game. Husky fans saw glimpses of what ‘could be’ last season and a few times of a young basketball player nervous on the floor. Stewart will be the guy off the bench to help Wilcox and Suggs.
• Suggs and Wilcox will have a lot more minutes between the two of them. They will need to get in condition for this extra work-load. Similar to the run Isaiah Thomas had to have when Gaddy went down two seasons ago.
• There is also Martin Breunig, that in high school played more of a perimeter big-man role anyways. He can shoot from outside and was fairly inconsistent inside last season. They may find him feeling more natural outside.

This shouldn’t completely hurt the Huskies because Suggs and Wilcox are very talented. But this does hamper much depth. If Stewart takes a big step forward this year, then there won’t be much missing of McLaughlin. However, if an injury happens, this could be a tight situation for the Huskies.

Last season, as late as December 16th against UC Santa Barabara, Romar was still figuring out the front court rotations by playing Kemp Jr for 10 minutes. He did settle in on a tight seven man rotation after that but the damage was already done. I would argue that the lack of defined roles cost the Huskies a chance at getting valuable reps working together. Especially when it came to their road losses to Nevada, Duke, and Marquette.

This upcoming season may be a little different, as Romar mentioned in his interview.

By the time we play our first game, we’ll have a pretty good idea who’s going to be in the rotation.

With their Europe/Africa trip beginning on August 25th, the Huskies will get 10 extra practices before as well as the games across the pond to develop their identity before the games start to count. This invaluable experience that slow-starting Husky teams of the past could have desperately used.

He went on to explain how his rotation-setting usually has worked in the past.

Usually we don’t know for sure probably until December or sometime mid-December when you have more of an idea. And some years we don’t know for sure until the middle of January because you have some guys who play one way early – maybe they’re struggling – and then all of a sudden they figure it out and start playing. There they go and there our team goes. But they weren’t giving you that earlier in the year for whatever reason. So it’s hard to say this is our lineup and then all of sudden this player comes on like gangbusters and now you have to make a decision.

With the news dropping today that Mark McLaughlin will not be playing at Washington this year, these extra practices and games will be that much more important.

Extra practices? Extra in-game experience? A trip to Europe and Africa? Why doesn’t Romar do this every year? Bow Down.

“Mark McLaughlin has decided to leave the University of Washington to pursue other opportunities. Although he was only here for a short time, we enjoyed working with Mark and wish him the best in his future endeavors.” -Head Coach Lorenzo Romar

Coach Romar and other school officials will have no further comment at this time.

There’s no other information other than that but we’ll keep this post updated if we learn more. He’s been a rolling stone for his entire basketball career and his pit stop at UW was no different.

This is a huge hit for this year’s team as McLaughlin is a highly skilled scorer who has the size and style to easily slip into Terrence Ross’ role and provide scoring from the wing. Even though he never played a game at the D1 level, I’ve talked to enough people with whom I trust to know that he could have made a big impact in the Pac-12. This puts a lot of pressure on RS-Senior Scott Suggs to take on a larger scoring role from the wing.

This puts a damper on the entire 2012 recruiting as there are now zero recruits that have come in from that class. Making it the worst in UW history. There were two transfers from Perris Blackwell and Gilles Dierickx.

On the other hand, Romar’s crowded 2013 recruiting class just got an extra scholarship to play with.

March 10, 2011; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Scott Suggs (15) goes in for a shot against the Washington State Cougars during the second half of the quarterfinal round of the 2011 Pac-10 tournament at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

Saw it again.

“In spite of having two first round NBA draft picks and a potential future first-rounder in Aziz N’Diaye, the Huskies significantly underachieved last season.”

“Underachieved.”

A word used frequently to describe last season’s Dawgs.  That team had some talent but did not make it to the Dance.  So they “underachieved.”

Let’s be fair.  There was a moment where the bench was effectively Darnell Gant, Martin Breunig and Hikeem Stewart.  Senior Darnell Gant said, “Since I’ve been here, I can’t remember it ever being like this.”  Under those circumstances, it was a Godsend when Husky football tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins joined the basketball team.  Remember that?

C. J. Wilcox was hurt; Elston Turner and Clarence Trent had transferred; Isaiah Thomas went to the NBA; Tyreese Breshers retired due to injuries; Scott Suggs broke a toe and redshirted; Shawn Kemp had been out of basketball; and Jernard Jarreau and Andrew Andrews were redshirting.  The only depth was in Lake Washington.

But when two players get drafted in the first round, in hindsight many believe bigger things were possible during the season.

“Underachieved.”

And there has been another weakness bruited about.

Basketball historian John Halverson, when asked about the “team” phenomenon, said, “The right collection of players will beat a team of superstars who don’t play well together.  But talent is indispensable.  Ideally, you want a talented team that plays well together.  [Purdue’s] Rick Mount dropped 63 points on Iowa before the 3-pointer [was instituted] but Iowa won because Rick Mount really didn’t do too much else.  Larry Bird, on the other hand, took Indiana State from mediocrity to one of the best teams in the country because of his team-oriented versatility.”

Former Husky guard Tony Wroten was in the spotlight beginning in the eighth grade, and while his teams, e.g., Garfield High, would go far, still, that seldom-used word “underachieve” would occasionally come off the lexicon bench.  Some have suggested that at times Wroten’s presence at Washington was a disruption more than a means toward focus and team cohesion.  However, while the cohesion of, say, the ’79 Sonics, was never evident last season, it would be unfair to suggest the Husky team should have done better.  Considering the personnel issues mentioned above, Wroten and the Huskies did well.

Now Terrance Ross, Tony Wroten and Darnell Gant are gone.

Who’s left?  Which group would constitute the “right collection of players” next season?

While Aziz N’Diaye will most certainly be in the middle, Halverson says that N’Diaye “…is not as good as people think” and believes that Washington Head Coach Lorenzo Romar might have better success going “small,” complementing from a combination of, say, Abdul Gaddy, C. J. Wilcox, Scott Suggs, and Mark McLaughlin or Jernard Jarreau or Desmond Simmons.  Not enough size underneath?  Dennis Rodman, at 6’ 6”, led the NBA in rebounds-per-game for seven straight years, and was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year twice.  The Worm just did what needed doing.  Without Ross and Gant, a player with exceptional desire like Desmond Simmons, a high school work horse, may surprise people.

Nov 4, 2011; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies forward Jernard Jarreau (33) guards Seattle Pacific Falcons wing Scott Morse (right) during the game at Alaska Airlines Arena. Washington defeated Seattle Pacific 77-60. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

Inside scoring?  When the Husky Bigs scrimmage against each other, the most effective scorer is usually seldom-mentioned Jernard Jarreau because of his versatility.  Some fans have expressed hope that next season Jarreau will remind fans of Oklahoma Thunder forward Kevin Durant.  Durant?  Perhaps among current NBA players – but the comparison is still weak.  A better comparison might be a taller Keith/Jamaal “Silk” Wilkes who teamed with Bill Walton under John Wooden at UCLA.  The versatile but extremely slender Wilkes, at 6’ 6” 180 lbs., had a high basketball I.Q., a quick inside game, and a great outside shot.  When asked for the ideal player description, Wooden said, “I would have the player be a good student, polite, courteous, a good team player, a good defensive player and rebounder, a good inside player and outside shooter.  Why not just take Jamaal Wilkes and let it go at that.”

Is Jarreau as good as Wilkes?  No, but it is well to remember that at this stage in his development, neither was Wilkes.

In the late 1990s, the Sonics were terrible until the new coach Lenny Wilkens put together a revised lineup that included Jack Sikma, Marvin Webster, John Johnson and Gus Williams, none of whom played for Seattle the previous year.  None were superstars.  But they were a talented team that meshed and played well together both offensively and defensively – some said they “overachieved” – as results proved.

The prospect of Wilcox, Suggs, McLaughlin and Jarreau on the floor together would create considerable scoring possibilities, favorable defensive schemes, and there is enough height to do the job around the glass – although some, e.g., Wilt Chamberlain (who would know), say height is overrated, and to a certain extent that’s true.  For example, during past Husky games, 5’ 9” Isaiah Thomas occasionally led the Huskies in rebounding, as did 5’ 8” Nate Robinson.  As Dennis Rodman often demonstrated, positioning and desire go a long way.

If one group of the above Husky players is, as John Halverson said, the “right collection,” demonstrating above-average basketball I.Q., they could be a pleasure for fans everywhere to watch.  The odds of that happening?  Not high.  But that’s the funny thing about odds.

Washington Huskies head coach Lorenzo Romar. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

I don’t know if any of you noticed, but I have been on hiatus recently from Husky Haul. I’ve been off camping on the Olympic Coast, Orca watching in the San Juan Islands, traveling around the west, and otherwise enjoying the summer. But, I am finally back in Arizona and ready to begin a new school year both at the school I teach at and for the University of Washington. Time for me to get back in the saddle and start writing again for Husky Haul! I know Mark has felt the pinch being on his own and it is time to come in for some relief action to come in from the bullpen!

Way back in April, the Husky Haul was the first organization to report on the emerging Husky non-conference schedule. Now that all of the games have been finalized and officially announced, it’s time to take a sneak peak preview of each of the games and make some way-too-early predictions of how they will turn out. Since the Husky roster now seems set for the 2012-13 season, we do not have to wait any longer to see how that could shake out. But, of course position battles will need to be waged and injuries are always a factor. So, predictions can still be hard to make.

In late October, I’ll make my official predictions based on more current information. But, it is always fun to goof around make some assumptions that may or may not end up being accurate. For the record, last year I ended up correctly predicting UW’s regular season record of 21-9, while going 83.3% correct on a game-by-game basis. I also correctly predicted the football team’s regular season record of 7-5, while also going 83.3% (10 of 12) on a game-by-game basis. So, it’ll be interesting to see if I can maintain that level of precision this year.

Part I will focus on the early non-conference schedule in November. Part II will focus on the December portion of the non-conference schedule. Parts III and IV will focus on the Pac-12 portion of the schedule. This preview will contain the team, their 2011-12 record and RPI, plus any news or information of relevance regarding each team.

One thing is obvious when looking at the Huskies’ non-conference schedule this year; all of you fans who have complained over the years about how “easy” Lorenzo Romar’s non-conference scheduling is can not do that this year. This schedule is downright brutal. They have four games away from Alaska Airlines Arena this year, 3-4 potential Top 25 teams, and 2-3 others who could legitimately make the NCAA tournament by being the best in their conference. Oh, did I mention the Huskies have the defending DII champions coming to Hec Ed for their exhibition? Even the practice games are not easy.

10/24- Western Washington Vikings

The defending Division II champion WWU Vikings are coming on down from Bellingham in a way too early game for the Huskies. They will only have been in camp for less than two weeks and most certainly will not have worked out all of the offensive and defensive schemes. This is certainly the type of game that could turn out to be a public relations nightmare (much like Seattle Pacific’s upset of Arizona was last year), if not an RPI killer. But, since the Huskies have no incoming freshmen and only one new eligible player (Mark McLaughlin), one has to think that everyone will be much more comfortable picking up Romar’s defensive schemes. This could be a trap game, but luckily it is just an exhibition. UW 90 WWU 84

11/11- Loyola (Md) Greyhounds  (2011-12 record 24-9, RPI 78)

The Greyhounds made the NCAA tournament last year after an impressive season, rounded out by winning the Metro Athletic Conference title and then losing to Ohio State. The Baltimore-based team will be playing it’s second game of the season when they play the Huskies, following a home game against Binghamton two days earlier. Given the quick travel time and the fact that they are bringing in five freshmen to replace some of their core talent from last year, this appears to be an big win opportunity for the Huskies. The most significant new player to the roster is Canadian Damion Rashford, who attended the acclaimed Westwind Prep last year. UW 94 Loyola 77

11/13- Albany Great Danes (2011-12 record 19-15, RPI 212)- The Great Danes do not appear to pose much of a challenge for the Huskies. Last year they were led by 6’4″ Dominican Republic guard Gerardo Suero who averaged 21.5 ppg for the Danes. Despite having a year of eligibility left, Suero decided to enter the NBA draft, where he went unselected. So, not only did the Danes lose their best player, but Suero lost his chance for a big senior year. In additon, three other players from the squad transferred including Ben Dickinson, Omar Richards, and Chris Longoria. Perhaps their biggest threat for next year will be senior guard Jacob Iati, who after several seasons deep on the bench erupted into a prolific scorer late last year, scoring over 20 points three times in the final few games. But, Albany’s defense is porous and it should be a plus 100 night for the Huskies. UW 101 Albany 78

11/17- Seton Hall Pirates at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT  (2011-12 record 21-13, RPI 68)- Following a couple of gimme games, the Huskies make the first of their two trips to Connecticut to play in the Hall-of-Fame Tip-off Classic. Rather than play at Springfield, MA where the Hall of Fame actually is, the tournament has decided there is more money to be made at the mega-casino in rural Connecticut. Seton Hall finished in the middle of the Big East last year with an 8-10 conference record. They were a competitive team, but not dominant, missing the NCAA tournament despite the conference sending nine teams. They have lost their top two scorers from last season, which means their highest returning scorer will be 6’6″ junior wing Fuquan Edwin at 12.5 ppg. He is also the only returning player to have averaged over 30 minutes per game. Although sophomore guard Aaron Cosby averaged 29.5 minutes, while scoring 7.5 ppg. The Pirates also lost their only significant rebounder from last year, so they will need some of the reserves and freshmen to take up the slack under the boards. Seton Hall again appears to be destined for a mid-conference finish and the Huskies should be able to win this game if they play well. But, the Huskies do not have a long history of performing well in neutral site games over the years, so a loss is certainly possible. UW 78 Seton Hall 73

11/18- Ohio State Buckeyes at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT (2011-12 record 31-8, RPI 7)

or Rhode Island Rams at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT (2011-12 record 7-24, RPI 256)

Obviously it is difficult to predict which of these games it will be. A win over Seton Hall, coupled with an expected Ohio State win over Rhode Island would result in a matchup with the Buckeyes. In that scenario, it would seem the Final Four attendees from last year would easily dispatch the Huskies. On the other hand, a loss to Seton Hall could match them up with the Rams, who were dismal last year and probably won’t be much better this year. Thus, in that scenario, the Huskies should win. Either way, I see a 1-1 finish for the weekend in Connecticut.

11/24- Colorado State Rams (2011-12 record 20-12, RPI 29)- Colorado State had a solid season last year, competing well in the Mountain West and finishing with a solid RPI. They lost to Murray State in the first round of the NCAA tournament, but their strong season was enough to get Tim Miles a nice salary boost with a job offer to go to Nebraska. But, Colorado State did not drop off in the coaching department by bringing in proven winner Larry Eustacy to replace him. The Rams return all of their top 5 scorers from last season including Wes Eikmeier (15.5 ppg), Dorian Green (13.1 ppg), Greg Smith (9.4 ppg). They also return their leading rebounder in Pierce Hornung. Fans in Fort Collins are also excited about the in-coming class Eustacy is brining in including David Cohn from Chicago and Canadian Joe DeCiman. This looks like it could be a real challenge game for the Huskies and an upset at Hec Ed is certainly possible. Colorado State 81 UW 78

11/28- Saint Louis Billikens (2011-12 record 26-8, RPI 31)- Last year the unexpectedly talented Billikens blew the Huskies out in Saint Louis on what was supposed to be Scott Suggs’ homecoming game. But, Suggs was injured and thus he has a chance to be part of exacting revenge in Seattle. This time around, Saint Louis will be without last year’s leading scorer Brian Conklin. But, just about every other significant player returns including 2nd leading scorer Kwamain Mitchell, 3rd leading scorer Cody Ellis, and 4th leading scorer and leading rebounder Dwayne Evans. Many people are pegging the Billikens to be even better than last year’s NCAA 3rd round team. In addition, you can always expect Rick Majerus teams to be well coached. Nonetheless, you have to think that the revenge factor and the home crowd will play a role in helping the Huskies play better than they did last year. Perhaps we will see Scott Suggs go off and drop 20? I am going for the Husky upset against what could be a Top 25 team at that time. UW 77 Saint Louis 75

So, as the calender turns from the early non-conference schedule of November to the late non-conference schedule of December, I predict the Huskies will be 4-2 going into December. Next up will be the December preview.

Last season the Huskies played at Utah and Colorado only while getting to play Cal and Stanford at Montlake only. We discussed last summer at how this could be a huge advantage as Cal and Stanford looked to be in the top half of the conference while Colorado and Utah were new with a lot of holes. As it turned out, Colorado became an extremely good squad and you could argue that a few opportunities for road victories against Cal and Stanford could have been exactly what the Dawgs needed to make the Big Dance.

The schedule this season is opposite of what it was last year in terms of the home/away series. The Huskies will host Utah and Colorado while heading down to the Bay Area for their only meeting with Cal and Stanford.

At first look it seems like a bad draw. Stanford could be greatly improved with a lot of returning pieces and Cal is always tough to beat at Berkeley. However the opportunity to get two big road wins is probably worth the extra risk of the loss if that makes any sense. Key wins were something that UW needed badly last season and this could be a chance to give an extra boost to their RPI/resume against teams that are beatable on the road. Also, it will be nice to avoid the altitude in Colorado and Utah while also introducing them to the best student section in the league. Go get ‘em Dawg Pack.

The next thing to look at is how the Huskies’ schedule fits with the way that Romar teams develop; slow and late. It looks like there’s some good news and bad news in regards to this point.

The bad news is that UW starts it’s season off with it’s first 5 of 7 games on the road. That’s probably not the best thing for a young and developing team whose coach historically struggles during it’s first half of the season. They kick things off in Pullman against a Coug team that should definitely be improved over last year and then they head straight to the Bay Area. That’s not a kind first three games.

The good news is that the Dawgs play Arizona and UCLA (the consensus two best teams) four times in their last eleven games. Hopefully that means they will be peaking and can challenge them for the Pac-12 title. That’s all you can really ask for when it comes to conference play. As you’d expect when you open with 5 of 7 on the road, the Huskies finish with 5 of 7 at home which may come in handy. Especially with the final game being against UCLA.

Other than that, the schedule is what it is. Win more games than everyone else and you make it the big dance. That is, and should always be, the goal.

The best news about this year’s Pac-12 season has nothing to do with the regular season at all. The Pac-12 Tournament’s new location in Las Vegas should be the start of an annual trip that I know I will be partaking in. I hope to see all of you there as well. Bet it all on Purple! 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.

Lorenzo Romar. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

Success in sports, as in life, can produce one of two reactions: one of on-going entitlement; or one of humility. The former seems all too common, while the latter is refreshing, inspiring. Oddly enough, too, it is often the latter that also propels individuals and teams to deeper levels of success.

Romar, and the coaches that fill out his staff, have modeled the latter example of humility in reflecting upon their success as a program. This humility has helped them avoid the trap of success, while keeping them hungry for the next level as a program.

The college recruiting “game” is a fascinating one on many levels, the blights on certain programs aside. A premium is placed on relationship, as many coaches, particularly in basketball where skill set is not immediately linked to girth as it can be in football, form relationships with young players prior to them even entering high school. There is also the parental dynamic, which can be at odds with the dynamic of the wants of their child. Will my kid receive a good education? Will the coaching staff, in addition to placing a premium on winning, be an example, a mentor, to my kid? These are questions that cross the minds, I’m sure, of many a parent who is fortunate enough to watch their kid pursue their athletic dreams.

Romar, by all accounts, is a great recruiter. Kids love playing for him, parents speak well of him and he runs a clean program. However, he wants to position his program to advance deeper into the NCAA Tournament, for instance. He sees deeper levels of success, deeper levels of team cohesion. Most importantly, Romar and his staff realize that to make deeper runs into the tourney, they need to balance their typically great guard and wing play, with solid, physical post play.

Last season saw the Huskies add several members to their front line, and while time will yet tell the level of their contribution, the ball is in motion in an attempt fortify the front line. The pattern of adding bulk and skilled big men has continued this season with the transfers of Perris Blackwell and Giles Dierckx, though they’ll need to sit out this year due to NCAA transfer rules. I wonder if, taken cumulatively, this could signal a shift, or at least a new emphasis, in Romar’s recruiting approach? To advance deeper into the tournament, Romar no doubt realizes that he needs some strength on the front line. Obviously, a tournament setting forces teams to think in these terms, since it is really about match-ups.

With the commitments of the 2013 class right around the corner, it will be interesting how the Huskies will fill the spots they have open (which can increase too, should current players leave early or transfer). Romar’s short list includes some formidable big men, some have caught the eye of the national media already like Aaron Gordon, and others are rising up the “watch” lists, like Marcus Lee and Kyle Washington.

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-US PRESSWIRE

It seems as though the perennial off-season question has to do with how the Huskies will fare in replacing what was lost. One of the “problems” – though, ultimately, a good one to have – with graduating players and sending some early to the NBA, is how the void left will be filled the following year. One of the reasons Romar’s program is a success is that he understands a void left by a graduating or a player making the jump early is an opportunity; an opportunity for someone to step up.

With the early exodus of Ross and Wroten, one might be inclined toward concern for where those points will be recovered this year, particularly in the backcourt. However, when you return the likes of CJ Wilcox and Scott Suggs and add the silky smooth Mark McLaughlin, the question isn’t who will score, but when, where and how much!

The looming question, then, isn’t the backcourt, but the frontcourt. How will the frontcourt shape up over the course of a year? What role does the frontcourt (need to) play to complement the talent and scoring prowess of the backcourt? With the exception of Aziz N’Diaye and Desmond Simmons, who are well known to Husky faithful, only time will tell.

It’s difficult to underestimate the value N’Diaye brings, particularly on the defensive end. His presence alone demands the attention of the opposition, and if he doesn’t block your shot, he’ll alter it. I see Simmons coming into his own this year, advancing from the strong start he had last year. He’s the perfect complement to N’Diaye down low, a solid rebounder and willing to do what it takes to win. The question, however, isn’t N’Diaye or Simmons, but the second tier of Husky frontcourt players, the “big three” – Jernard Jarreau, Martin Breunig and Shawn Kemp Jr.

As an observer, there’s so much that’s unknown and seemingly unproven about the big three. However, the talent appears to be there, as well as the versatility. Redshirt freshman, Jernard Jarreau, is able to face up the defense and knock down the open jumper. Martin Breunig has one year in the Husky system under his belt, and shows the athleticism in addition to the size to be potentially disruptive on the offensive end. Shawn Kemp Jr. showed a lot of potential last year and has looked really good in the first couple of weeks of summer league ball. He looks in shape and, consequently, more active around the rim.

That second tier of Husky big men has the potential to be the x-factor for this season. While questions linger, Romar and his staff have proven over the years to be adept at evaluating and maximizing talent. The minutes will be there, as they spell Aziz and Des; and even if they perform as a group (which is how Romar might use them), if they do so with heart and aggression, we could well see the Huskies once again exceed expectations. Bow Down!

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 coach Lorenzo Romar at Pac-12 media day. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

June 20th, 2012 was a monumental day in which the unthinkable, the unbelievable happened. No, hell did not freeze over, but the next most impossible thing occurred; Coach Romar joined Twitter (@CoachRomar)! Shortly after his plunge into the world of social media, Romar stated his main rationale – recruiting.

Among the various streams of social media options, Twitter boasts some 500 million users and daily pushes over 50 million tweets. And, while my teenage daughter seems to eclipse 50 million texts in a day, Twitter’s reach and social footprint cannot be denied. Popular among the tech, arts, and news communities, Twitter is also the social media option of choice for athletes. This week Deron Williams was the first to break the news that he would remain with the Brooklyn Nets by simply tweeting “Made a tough decision today”, linking a picture of the Nets’ logo. Williams was able to get the message out, without calling a press conference or doing an interview. In less than 140 characters and from the comforts of his cell phone, Williams let the waiting world in on his decision.

Obviously, high school recruits are no different. Twitter, and to a lesser extent Facebook, are the warp and woof of the world in which they live, move and have their being. A self-described “late bloomer” (no doubt with tongue firmly planted in cheek), Romar can use Twitter to stay informed and as an avenue for communication.

Strangely, Romar’s foray into social media, the world in which his team and recruits live, might just be the symbolic harbinger of taking the next step as a basketball program. The 2013 class is well chronicled being led by 5 star recruits such as Jabari Parker (Chicago, ILL) and Aaron Gordon (San Jose, CA), both of whom are UW targets, and the 2014 class looks ripe with local talent as well.

Romar and his staff are off to a more than admirable start in landing 2013 Findlay Prep star, Nigel Williams-Goss. Williams-Goss is an intriguing get for several reasons. First, he knows how to win. Second, other guys like playing with him. Finally, playing at Findlay with other high level recruits has probably helped him become more of distributing, floor general type of point guard.

Despite this strong start, there is work to be done with at least two spots open for 2013 and the likes of Parker, Gordon and Jabari Bird (Richmond, CA) still undeclared. Recruits who have decided to play for UW, have consistently stated the main reasons they originally committed – style of play and Romar and the staff. In fact, Nigel Williams-Goss has stated that “relationship” was a deciding factor for choosing UW over other schools.

Will Romar’s presence on Twitter be the deciding factor for other UW targets? Probably not. But, it can’t hurt. Welcome to Twitter, Coach!

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…

Washington Huskies guard C.J. Wilcox. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-US PRESSWIRE

In Part I of the series, we examined which seniors on the roster have the best chance of being taken in the 2013 NBA draft. In Part II, we examine the underclassmen who have the best chance of making the jump early for the 2013 draft or will likely be taken in the 2014 draft if they decided to stay.

Beyond the seniors, there are a couple of other players who seem like conceivable NBA draft picks. The most obvious choice is CJ Wilcox. The super-smooth long distance shooter has the height (6’5″) and tools necessary to be successful in the NBA. In fact, to me he is the most natural fit for the NBA of any of the current players or signed recruits the Huskies have. Wilcox managed to average 14 ppg despite playing the entire season with a variety of injuries (most notably a stress fracture in his femur that also caused it to migrate to his hip that limited his practice time and minutes on the floor). It also didn’t help that he suffered a serious concussion against Saint Louis. Romar even alluded to the fact that Wilcox might have even been a 20 ppg player had he been healthy, even with the competition for touches with Ross and Wroten.

If CJ Wilcox is healthy all next year, he could really explode onto the national scene. The Huskies lost two big time scorers early to the draft this year in Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten, and CJ Wilcox is most obviously the one on the roster who will be counted on to pick up the slack (along with Scott Suggs and Mark McLaughlin). If CJ Wilcox were to average something close to 20 ppg and get the national headlines, I think the NBA draft could come calling. He is currently projected for 2013 to go #31 at NBADraft.com and #38 by DraftExpress.com, which is early in the 2nd round. A bigtime season could easily move him into the late 1st round.

But, there is talk from people close to the situation that CJ’s dad doesn’t want him to go into the draft early. Apparently, Craig Wilcox has really emphasized the importance of earning a degree and developing all the parts of his game that need to be improved. If CJ starts rising up to the level where GM’s are telling him he is a lottery pick, the thinking may change. But, it would not seem prudent to leave early if he were going to go in the 2nd round, since those contracts are not guaranteed. Thus, it is certainly not a sure fire thing that Wilcox will give up his final year of eligibility to chase the NBA dream.

One part of the decision making process that could come into play, much as it did for Isaiah Thomas, is simply how the roster will potentially affect his prospects at improving his stock during his final year. When Isaiah Thomas decided to leave Montlake, there were some obvious reasons. He was THE MAN during his junior season. But, with Tony Wroten coming in, plus the return of Abdul Gaddy, plus Terrance Ross, CJ Wilcox, and thinking Scott Suggs were all coming back, the guard position looked so stacked that you could only reasonably assume that his minutes and role on the team would change and his influence may diminish. It wouldn’t be that Thomas still wouldn’t have been a critical part of the team, but his best opportunity to shine might have past him. Would CJ Wilcox make that same decision if faced with an in-coming class that included players like Nigel Williams-Goss and potentially the likes of an Aaron Gordon, Jabari Brown, and/or Jabari Bird? Those players will/would want the ball in their hands and that would ultimately affect CJ’s opportunities. It will be interesting to see how that all plays out.

Seattle Redhawks guard Mark McLaughlin during the 2k Sports Classic. Maryland beat Seattle 105-76. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-US PRESSWIRE

Then there is the big wildcard in all of this, and that is JC transfer Mark McLaughlin. The former Rivals 4-star recruit certainly took the long road to Montlake. But, he was a 4-star recruit for a reason, averaging 21.3 ppg at Inglemoor HS. Then, last year he was the nation’s leading junior college scorer at Tacoma Community College at 28.4 ppg. So, all indications are that the 6’6″ McLaughlin can fill it up. Whether his skill set will translate well in the more competitive Pac-12 remains to be seen. But, he was considered good enough that he committed to Washington State in 2007, before switching his commitment to Nevada. But, after coach Fox left Reno for Georgia, McLaughlin then switched again to Baylor of the Big 12 after going to a prep school. But, then he decided to back out of that commitment right before the season and went to Seattle U when it went Division I. But, after just 17 games he left the Redhawks and transferred to TCC.

One issue you have to consider, like with Isaiah Thomas’, is that he is a bit on the older side. McLaughlin is already 22 years old and has two years of eligibility remaining. With the NBA always so focused on potential and youth, potentially entering the league at 24 is a little on the old side. If McLaughlin has another big year, perhaps even scoring nearly 20 ppg, he might just find himself on the NBA draft radar. At 6’6″ he certainly has the size they are looking for from a shooting guard.

Whether he will have the same effectiveness on a team with plenty of established guards remains to be seen. He did only score 7.2 ppg in 17 minutes at Seattle U. He obviously picked it up at TCC. But, it is a quite the question mark of what he will do at UW. It is one thing when you are “The Man”. It can be quite different when the ball is in the hands of the starting PG (Abdul Gaddy) much of the time and if it does get passed to CJ Wilcox or Scott Suggs, it is probably going up from 3-point range. There are quite a few players  who will want the ball in their hands.

However, given the long road McLaughlin has traveled, if he starts showing up on NBA mock draft boards and starts hearing from GMs about his potential, he might just make the leap. I don’t think we can necessarily count on having him for two seasons. While I don’t necessarily think he would base his decision directly on what CJ Wilcox decides, clearly what they decide will have an impact on the other. If CJ decided to stay for an additional year, then McLaughlin’s opportunities to score might be reduced (and vice versa), especially considering who might join the team in 2013. But, if CJ declared for the draft, then McLaughlin could return for a second season much more in a leadership role and with more of a focus on him as a scorer.

Of the remaining underclassmen, there are not too many others on the roster who appear to be in a position to declare for the NBA draft in 2013 (or even 2014). Shawn Kemp Jr. might be a potential candidate for 2014 if he showed a big improvement this year and then came on for a monster 2013-14 season. I say this given his more advanced age and desire to move on to the next level. But, as of right now I do not see him as NBA material. But, you never know what kind of improvement we might see.

Perris Blackwell might be a 2014 candidate given his size and skill set. But, I do not know enough about him yet to make an informed judgement. I’ve only seen him play on TV once. Desmond Simmons seems like a real 4 year guy to me, so even if he were to start getting recognized, I figure he would be more likely in 2015. Then there is the one commitment for 2013 that we need to consider and that is Nigel Williams-Goss. Despite his obvious skills at the PG position and the real expectations that he will take over the starting PG position from Abdul Gaddy as a freshman, Williams-Goss does not appear to be the type of player both in terms of size, skill set, and attitude to be One-and-Done. Even if he were a can’t miss NBA prospect like a Jabari Parker or Aaron Gordon, the fact that he was deciding between UW and Harvard says to me that he will stick around for at least a substantial portion of his education before making the leap.

As for others, yes there are known one-and-done recruits UW is going after, such as the aforementioned Parker and Gordon. But, it isn’t worth talking about them until they sign their LOI somewhere. So, looking at who is currently at Washington and who has given their commitment so far, if you were to ask me who the next Husky player to enter the NBA will be, I would have to say the most likely one is Aziz N’Diaye. I think C.J. Wilcox has the best chance to be the highest draft pick of the mix. But, since we know Aziz will be in THIS draft and Wilcox might just wait until 2014, that is what I am going for.

My prediction is that the next Husky in the NBA will be Aziz N’Diaye!

But, while the future is bright, I think we might have to accept that no Huskies may be drafted in 2013, for only the 2nd time in 10 years.

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.