Quick Update on 2012 Hoops Recruiting

The 2012 recruiting scene is small one this season with only 1 scholarship guaranteed for the Huskies. Darnell Gant is the only player leaving but he doesn’t leave a huge void with guys like Martin Breunig and Shawn Kemp Jr. already on the UW roster. Therefore, UW has 1 scholarship that can be used for any position.

However, at the same time Head Coach Lorenzo Romar needs to at least realize (and he does) that he may (or may not) lose a player to the NBA draft. Terrence Ross and Tony Wroten Jr. have both been labeled as first round picks in next year’s NBA draft in spite of the Huskies on-court struggles. The ceiling is just too high for either (both) of them that NBA scouts will want to grab them in the Draft.

All that being said, UW is still out recruiting and could potentially land 1 or 2 guys in the 2012 class. Let’s take a look at some of the names out there, in the 2012 class, that UW is recruiting.

• William Howard may be the most intriguing name because the rumor is that UW placed him at a prep school on the East Coast for him to get NCAA eligible. NBA scouts and Draft experts have been following him for a few years, from the days he played in Europe (France). Washington is said to be the favorite.
• Anthony Bennett would be worth it all if no one else commits to UW. He is a 5-star prospect and is just a dominate force. His coach describes him as having an NBA ready body and being a “1 and done”. I spoke with Bennett a few days ago and he is down to 9 (still). He is working on finishing out his basketball season before he narrows the list anymore. He says he is taking the time during the season to watch all 9 on TV to see where he fits in and feel out each program (from the TV angle). While many assume Bennett is a long-shot to UW, he has stated ALL ARE EQUAL and that UW is one of the schools recruiting him the hardest. Which means the coaches do not feel like he is a long-shot.
• Zena Edosomwan has basically eliminated UW. The rumor is he is working on getting into Harvard.
• Sam Cassell Jr. will decide after his season but it is unclear on how much UW is still involved with him.
• Zach Banner would obviously be a walk-on for the Huskies as his main sport would be football. But he is emphatic that he will play both sports. He is down to 3 and UW has made a HUGE impression on him lately.
• There are few more out there like Jordan Tebbutt, Marcel White, and Jamel Artis but I don’t know enough on them to provide an update.

That’s it for now. Remember to follow on twitter @HuskyHaul and stay tuned to the site for more.