Washington basketball is heralding one of their most talented teams ever, and arguably its best player was honored by the Pac-12
There’s no question that Isaiah Stewart is one of the most talented freshmen in the nation, and even though Washington basketball dropped a tough one to Gonzaga on Sunday night, Stewart received honors as the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week.
Over the course of the week, Stewart averaged a double-double (16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds) in the Huskies’ three games. That included a 16-15 performance against Eastern Washington, and a 21-10 showing against Gonzaga.
Stewart has had an incredible season so far, and he’s ranked inside the top 10 nationally among freshmen in points, rebounds, blocks, and field goal percentage. The talented freshman out of Rochester, New York has been exactly what the Huskies expected him to be this year, and should be a force to be reckoned with come Pac-12 play.
Mike Hopkins has stated that he believes that Stewart was the best player in the country, and so far it looks like he was correct. He’s averaging 17 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, to go along with 1.9 blocks. He’s an incredibly impressive player to watch at both ends of the floor, his footwork is exceptional, and his strength on the low block is a sight to behold. Stewart puts in incredible effort on every play
There aren’t many freshmen around college basketball that command a double team every time they touch the ball, and Stewart has made defenses double him all season long, and still finds a way to put the ball in the hoop at an almost 60% clip.
The freshman will most likely project as a top-three NBA draft pick at the end of the season, and with the impressive cast that the Huskies have been able to put around him, they have the potential to make a deep run in March.
Congratulations to Isaiah for winning Freshman of the Week, there are definitely more honors in his future!