Washington basketball hasn't had a better slate of players in a few years than they do right now yet they just haven't been able to put it all together.
The Huskies have brought in a handful of players via the transfer portal the last two seasons, including a pair of former Kentucky standouts in Keion Brooks Jr and Sahvir Wheeler.
Brooks leads the Pac-12 in points per game (21.2) and free throws made per game (5.0) and is primed to be an All-Pac selection.
The Huskies also have a decent shooting percentage at 47.3% and lead in assists per game. The team currently sits at 15-12. So what's the issue?
They have the talent to get the job done but are being held back by confidence, culture, and other things...
Washington basketball: Three problems to address
Problem #1: Mike Hopkins
Mike Hopkins has been the coach of the Huskies men's basketball team since 2017. His first two seasons seemed promising with the Huskies appearing in the 2019 NCAA tournament, however, since then, his tenure has become increasingly disappointing. He is doing more harm than good at this point and the Huskies need to make a coaching change before moving to the Big Ten.
Problem #2: Defense
The Huskies have a pretty strong offense, averaging 47.3% of their shots, but the defensive side of the ball is lacking. The team has played a 2-3 zone defense the past six seasons and transitioned to man defense this year but it hasn't done much for them. The biggest keys to turning the defense around are rebounding better and forcing opponents to make poor shot decisions.
Problem #3: Finishing
Problems two and three go hand in hand with one another. While the Huskies managed to top Arizona State 84-82 in overtime on Thursday, they blew a comfortable 25-point second-half lead powered by a 20-0 run. The defense completely broke down and nearly lost their fifth game in a row in Tempe.
The Huskies will play their next game against No. 4 Arizona today at 11 AM in Tucson.