Washington Huskies Basketball: Aaron Gordon, A Month Later
By Evan Webeck
"Welcome, Husky Fans. This is what the big time feels like. Years of recruitment have come to fruition as Aaron Gordon announced that he will be attending the University of Washington.Anyone who has been calling for Lorenzo Romar’s head can cease, at least for now. He has gained the commitment of the best prospect on the West Coast and one of the best in the country.Gordon joins an already impressive recruiting class that includes fellow five-star, Nigel Williams-Goss. Darin Johnson, Jahmel Taylor and Mike Anderson round out a class that will almost certainly be ranked in the top-10.Gordon brings a unique set of skills to the table. After playing the post for much of his high school career, he is expected to play on the wing at Washington. Standing 6’8”, he is a bit of a tweener, as an undersized post and tall wing.His post skills easily make up for the lack of size and there is no question of the physicality he brings. His ball skills and shot are not the highlights of his game, but it is hard to find a weakness on a player like Gordon.He is the perfect player to run a high post offense, possessing skills to drive, shoot or pass from the top of the key. If the Huskies can put him to use correctly, they can be deadly.Washington is in desperate need of a savior, and Gordon could be that man. 2013 marked the second straight season that finished with an NIT loss. With Gordon, UW becomes the favorite to win the Pac-12 and an instant top-25 team.While Romar may have gotten the coup of his career in Gordon, that won’t be enough to ensure his job is safe.Now that he has one of the best post/wing players and one of the best point guard recruits in the country joining C.J. Wilcox, Andrew Andrews and Desmond Simmons, he has to take that talent and create results.In the past, the Sweet 16 has been the barrier for Washington. Gordon is supposed to be the guy who brings the Huskies over the hump. It will take work to go from an 18-win team to a Final Four one, but the talent added in this recruiting class will make it a lot easier to do.As newly proclaimed Pac-12 favorites, go out and celebrate, Husky fans. A fun year is ahead, watching Andrews, Wilcox, Gordon, Williams-Goss and the rest of the squad compete for a Pac-12 title and maybe more.For now, you have the No. 4 player in the country."
Like what you read? That’s what I typed up the night of April 1, in speculation of Aaron Gordon choosing Washington. Of course, I also wrote articles on Oregon, Kentucky and Arizona. We all know which one got published.
It was arguably the biggest loss in Huskies recruiting history. A kid that Lorenzo Romar had been chasing since he was recruiting his brother, five-plus years, decided that Arizona was a better fit for him.
Don’t discredit Sean Miller, he had been on Gordon’s trail for some time as well and has quite the program himself, but his recruitment shouldn’t have trumped Romar’s.
A month later and a lot has happened. Most recently, Angelo Chol announced that he would be transferring from Arizona (bet he wouldn’t be from UW). Also transferring is Mike Moser; it had been speculated (admittedly, too early) that he would be playing his senior season at Washington. Well, it so happens that he’s down to three schools: Gonzaga, Oregon and Washington.
As of this weekend, he’s made his visits to all three schools and will decide by the end of the summer. It is still speculated that the Huskies are the favorite, but they were also the favorite for Gordon for months, if not years.
Like I wrote nearly a month ago, getting Moser to Montlake would practically make up for losing Gordon. Both outcomes give the Huskies a premier frontcourt, Gordon simply would have been a little flashier.
Nonetheless, even after a month to allow it sit in, the loss of Gordon doesn’t hurt any less. One can only hope Romar is able to snag Moser, now that possible target Junior Etou is off the board to Rutgers.