Washington basketball has officially secured their first 5-star recruit in the Mike Hopkins era!
Hopkins announced on Wednesday, April 17 that incoming freshman forward Isaiah Stewart signed his national letter of intent to play for Washington basketball.
Stewart was named to McDonald’s All-American team, as well as being honored as the Naismith National Player of the Year. With the graduation of Noah Dickerson, Matisse Thybulle, David Crisp, and Dominic Green, along with sophomore Jaylen Nowell entering the NBA draft, it’s important the Washington Huskies continue their success under Mike Hopkins.
Stewart will likely take Dickerson’s spot in the post, but there’s a lot of time to figure that out after he gets to campus this summer. He will be joined in this year’s incoming freshman class by shooting guard RaeQuan Battle a four-star recruit out of Marysville, Washington and point guard Marcus Tsohonis a three-star recruit from Portland, Oregon.
Keep in mind that the Huskies still have a very good shot at landing another five-star recruit, Jaden McDaniels out of Federal Way. If he commits, the Huskies will have some incredible depth at forward, with McDaniels, Nahziah Carter, and Jamal Bey.
Guard will be an issue at least early on in the season, and Battle and Tsohonis might take the spots of Nowell and Crisp in the backcourt. Elijah Hardy might be the starter early on in the season at least, but Battle or Tsohonis could be the starting point guard to start the season. There’s also a good chance Carter will start in Thybulle’s spot at the top of the zone.
Washington also has Quade Green, the Kentucky transfer, coming in at point guard. The former five-star recruit has to sit out until January, but expect him to make an instant impact, as he’s been practicing with the team since January.
During the 2017-18 season at Kentucky, Green averaged 9.3 points a game, playing 25.6 minutes per game. Things are looking up on Montlake, and if everything goes right this team could make a deep run in the NCAA tournament next year!