7-foot-4 walk-on center Riley Sorn brings big hopes to Washington Basketball

With Washington Basketball in need of front court talent, 7-foot-4 walk-on center Riley Sorn is nearly a miraculous commitment to a team with a true need for his skillset

The Washington Basketball team is pulling rabbits out of hats right now. Yes, that is a term more often used in describing a magician’s illusion of pulling a rabbit out of an empty hat, but it applies here. After all, the team landed a commitment from 7-foot-3 center Riley Sorn, and the team needs front court help. How? Well that is the magic.

Landing a 7-foot-3 center is one thing. But reports now have Sorn towering up to 7-foot-4 and climbing.  As a high school senior, his eventual height is … undetermined. But his basketball skills? That’s a different matter altogether. He has skills.

Riley Sorn is a rim blocking center, the ideal skillset for a 2-3 zone defense.  As such, he brings incredible upside potential to the Huskies this year.  Adding his arrival to that of center Bryan Penn Johnson and forward Nate Roberts staggers the imagination.

And the kicker is that 247Sports Chris Fetters reports that he will join the team as a walk-on. How does Coach Hopkins do it?  This is not the first time Hopkins has pulled off some recruiting heroics for the team.

I have no clue. I really don’t. On one hand, a 7-foot-4 center at this stage of the season is a huge steal. On the other hand, the fact that Riley Sorn’s strengths align with the biggest needs of the team is simply incredibly good fortune.

A project with huge potential

Sorn needs to add muscle to bang bodies near the basket. It just so happens that Washington excels at weight training and conditioning. Sorn needs to refine his natural talents with better defense and expanding his shot selection arsenal. Once more, Washington excels in those areas as well.

Next: Does Washington Basketball Coach Hopkins have an encore?

Sorn brings a huge ceiling.  While he has work to do, his presence near the basket is enough to rechannel offensive strategy. And while he trains, he will be able to add muscle, improve his footwork, and add severall mid-range and even perimeter shooting to his quiver.  Even if he takes time to improve his game, he is a big who can absorb minutes.

Let’s be realistic. The Washington Basketball team needed front court players this off-season. With Sorn, the team adds three. Now the roster aligns with the scheme, giving opportunity for the team to show surprising success this season.  Yes, it’s still football season. But I admit, the anticipation of what the Washington Basketball team can do this season is getting the best of me.

* Highlights
* PrepHoops Profile
* MaxPreps Profile
* 247Sports Profile