Washington Huskies Basketball

Former 5-star recruit Quade Green has decided to transfer from Kentucky to Washington, according to ESPN.com's Jeff Borzello.

Green's decision to transfer in the middle of the season gives him the ability to make his Huskies debut in the spring of 2020.

Green was the fifth-ranked point guard in the class of 2017 and the No. 26 overall prospect, according to 247Sports.

He announced his intention to transfer on Dec. 12:

"I have loved my time at Kentucky and love Coach Cal and the staff. This was a difficult decision and one I didn't take lightly. However, after talking with my family and the coaching staff, I just felt like it was best that I explore other opportunities for my athletic and academic future. I have enjoyed my time at Kentucky and I'll never forget the Big Blue Nation for its love and its support."

Green explored the possibility of a transfer over the summer but decided to return to Lexington for another season—but his time in Big Blue Nation ultimately did not last much longer.

The decision came as Green saw his playing time drop from 25.6 minutes per game as a freshman in 2017-18 to just 17.8 minutes as a sophomore this season. That includes playing in just 18 total minutes over his final two appearances as a Wildcat.

As a result, his overall numbers were starting to dip. He was averaging 8.0 points, 2.3 assists and 1.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Both his three-point percentage (37.6 to 42.3) and free-throw percentage (80.8 to 89.5) had made considerable jumps, albeit in smaller sample sizes.

Prior to committing to Kentucky as a high schooler, Green had been recruited by the likes of Syracuse, Villanova, Duke and Kansas.

Now, Green will get a chance at a fresh start under head coach Mike Hopkins at Washington.

A bus accident caused a scary scene for the Washington men's basketball team following Friday's game at Auburn.

Huskies forward Noah Dickerson posted video on Twitter of the team bus on fire after it blew a tire on the way to the airport:

Dickerson added "Everybody's ok!" in a follow-up tweet.

Per Percy Allen of the Seattle Times, the accident occurred around 15 miles from Montgomery, Alabama. The team had to wait for a second bus to come get them around 1:30 a.m. local time.

Washington had dropped to 1-1 after an 88-66 loss against Auburn.

University of Washington head men's basketball coach Mike Hopkins is thanking Huskies fans with the gift of coffee.

According to the Washington Athletics website, Hopkins earned a $15,000 bonus for winning Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors in 2017-18, and he is going to use that money to purchase Starbucks gift cards that will be distributed to fans Thursday.

Hopkins said the following about his decision to spread the wealth:

"It was a great honor to be named Pac-12 Coach of the Year, but the reality is this is a tribute to our entire team, our program and the University community. I wouldn't have won this award without such incredible support, so I wanted to give back to some of the many important people who have made this a memorable first season possible, and have welcomed me and my family into this incredible Seattle community."

Hopkins purchased the gift cards in $12 increments, and he will pass them out at the Starbucks in Seattle's U-Village on Thursday.

Washington basketball season ticket holders and Dawg Pack members will receive an additional gift card if they present their ticket card or ID.

Hopkins served as an assistant at Syracuse from 1995 to 2017 before taking the head coaching job at Washington.

The Huskies struggled to a 9-22 record in 2016-17, but Hopkins led a quick turnaround. Washington improved to 21-13 last season and made it to the second round of the NIT, where it lost to top-seeded Saint Mary's.

Looks like Markelle Fultz enjoyed his time in Philadelphia to the fullest. 

Hours before TNT's David Aldridge reported Saturday night that the 76ers had unofficially acquired the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NBA draft from the Boston Celtics, Fultz was in Philly for a workout.

Joel Embiid posted the above picture of himself, Fultz, Ben Simmons and Robert Covington on the practice court, noting the union "should be legendary if it happens."

Fultz commented "trust the process," giving a nod to former general manager Sam Hinkie, and Embiid's hashtag and nickname, "The Process." 

It looks like all involved will get their wish, as Aldridge reported the 76ers intend to draft Fultz first overall in Thursday's event.

[Instagram] 

Nahziah Carter, Jay Z's nephew, committed to play basketball for the Washington Huskies on Saturday. 

A 4-star shooting guard from Rochester, New York, Carter picked the Huskies over the Indiana Hoosiers, Georgetown Hoyas, Connecticut Huskies and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, among others. 

Carter had initially committed to play for the Dayton Flyers, but he decided to re-open his recruitment after head coach Archie Miller left for a new job with the Indiana Hoosiers. 

According to Scout.com, Carter is the 29th-ranked shooting guard among all 2017 prospects and the ninth-ranked player at his position in the East Region. In New York, Carter is the No. 2 overall shooting guard in the 2017 recruiting class. 

A late bloomer on the recruiting circuit, Carter has been turning heads recently thanks to his spring-loaded hops. 

His most notable aerial achievement came just a few weeks ago, when he hammered home a vicious dunk over Marvin Bagley—the top recruit in the class of 2018: 

For Washington, Carter's commitment is a big plus. 

Following former head coach Lorenzo Romar's dismissal in March, the Huskies appeared to be in dire straits on the recruiting front.

That's because the primary pieces of their heralded 2017 class, including No. 1 overall recruit Michael Porter Jr., 3-star point guard Blake Harris and 4-star shooting guard Daejon Davis, all were released from their national letters of intent and bolted elsewhere. 

But with Carter in tow alongside fellow 4-star wing Jaylen Nowell, the Huskies should be able to make due next season as they transition to life with Mike Hopkins at the helm. 

Recruit information courtesy of Scout.com. 

Prized recruit Michael Porter Jr. has been granted a release from his national letter of intent by the University of Washington. 

A spokesperson confirmed Porter's release to Christian Caple of the Tacoma News Tribune. 

Porter's decision to re-open his recruiting comes one week after Washington fired head coach Lorenzo Romar following a 9-22 record in 2016-17. His father, Michael Porter Sr., was hired as an assistant on Romar's staff last year. 

During a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, Porter did say Washington remains on his list of potential schools.

"Washington is definitely still on the list, I would just like to weigh all my options and make a decision from there," Porter said, via ESPN's Jeff Borzello. "I just thought I want to be able to start over and look at all these schools and look at the pros and cons of each one."

In an interview with Jason Jordan of USA Today, Porter has narrowed his list of schools down to Washington, Missouri, Virginia and Oklahoma. 

Paul Biancardi of ESPN.com reported Porter Sr. will be added to Missouri head coach Cuonzo Martin's coaching staff. 

"My dad doesn't know if he will coach next year or if he will coach. ... It is not a for sure thing I follow my dad," Porter told reporters. "It makes sense if he [Porter Sr.] does go to a big school that I do want to play under my dad."

Porter is a 5-star prospect who is the No. 1 ranked small forward recruit in the country and No. 5 player overall, per Scout.com.

With Porter being available to all suitors now, the recruiting effort will intensify until he makes a decision. After everything that happened with Washington, he will use his power and control to make the right choice. 

Michael Porter Jr., one of the nation's top basketball recruits, will ask the University of Washington to release him from his national letter of intent after the school fired head coach Lorenzo Romar.

Porter told reporters on a teleconference Wednesday that he is reconsidering his options. He said he expects the university to grant his release, and he added that he'll keep Washington on his list of potential schools. According to Jason Jordan of USA Today, Washington, Missouri, Virginia and Oklahoma are the four schools in play now.

Alex Rozier of King5 provided video of Porter confirming new Huskies head coach Mike Hopkins has not been in contact since taking the job:

Missouri is widely considered the favorite to land Porter should he be released. New Tigers head coach Cuonzo Martin has offered Michael Porter Sr., Porter's father, an assistant coaching position, which Porter confirmed in the conference.

"My dad doesn't know if he will coach next year or if he will coach. ... It is not a for sure thing I follow my dad," Porter told reporters. "It makes sense if he [Porter Sr.] does go to a big school that I do want to play under my dad."

Washington fired Romar after 15 seasons earlier this month. The Huskies went just 9-22 last season despite a strong recruiting class spearheaded by potential No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Markelle Fultz. Hopkins, formerly Jim Boeheim's top assistant at Syracuse, was named Romar's replacement last week.

Scout has Porter ranked as its fifth-best player overall in the 2017 class and its top small forward prospect. He was named the Naismith National Player of the Year after averaging 34.8 points and 13.8 rebounds as a senior, leading Seattle's Nathan Hale High School to an undefeated record.

Syracuse University assistant Mike Hopkins has left his position with the Orange to become the new head basketball coach at the University of Washington, announced the school on March 19.

Christian Caple‏ of the Tacoma News Tribune passed along an initial comment from the new coach.

"The timing is right for me and my family to make this move," Hopkins said.

On Wednesday, Percy Allen of the Seattle Times reported Hopkins signed a six-year deal worth $12.3 million in total. He'll earn $1.8 million this coming season, "and the contract includes an annual $100,000 escalator clause," per Allen. 

The deal lures Hopkins away from Syracuse, where he served on Jim Boeheim's staff since 1996. He'd previously played for the Orange under the program's longtime head coach for four years starting in 1989.

The California native had a clause in his contract to become Cuse's next coach when Boeheim retired, according to ESPN's Jeff Goodman. A source close to the veteran assistant told ESPN he felt the timing was right to accept the Huskies job, though.

"He wants to build a legacy, felt like the opportunity was special at Washington, and also wanted to make sure he did right by his mentor and father figure," the source said.

The Huskies announced the firing of Romar on Wednesday following the conclusion of a season where they went 9-22, including a 2-16 mark in Pac-12 play. Athletic director Jennifer Cohen released a statement about the program's decision:

After evaluating our men's basketball program, I have determined that a change in leadership is necessary. Today is particularly difficult because Coach Romar is such a beloved member of our University community. I want to thank Lorenzo and his family for 15 years of dedicated service and sacrifice to our University.

Romar told Allen he wasn't shocked about getting let go after having some conversations with Cohen.

"I can't say it was a surprise," he said. "We had been talking and we had discussed some things that I needed to get better at and the program needed to get better at. I wouldn't say I was surprised by it. I knew that there's a chance that could happen."

He won more than 60 percent of his games across his 15-year tenure (298-196 record), but the Huskies had become stagnant in recent years. They haven't qualified for the NCAA tournament since 2011 and failed to reach the 20-win plateau for five straight years.

Hopkins will attempt to reverse that trend after learning the craft from Boeheim for the past two decades. The run included a national championship in 2003.

He had the opportunity to fill in on an interim basis for Boeheim last season while the coach served a nine-game NCAA suspension. He tried to capture the unique feeling when serving as the person in charge as opposed to second in command in an interview with Chris Carlson of Syracuse.com:

It's just being the head coach. Someone said, being the head coach, from the top down, it's a reflection of you from the coaching staff to the players. It's just a big responsibility. It's easy to say, 'Hey coach, I think this guy needs to go in, and he's making that decision.' You just feel it differently. I can't really explain it beyond that.

Now he'll carry that burden every day at Washington. His first task will likely be trying to replace dynamic freshman guard Markelle Fultz, an expected top pick in the 2017 NBA draft.

Washington basketball has reportedly decided to part ways with head coach Lorenzo Romar after 15 years, per Jeff Goodman of ESPN.

Percy Allen of the Seattle Times confirmed Wednesday's news.     

Nicole Auerbach of USA Today provided a quick reasoning of the decision from the athletic director:

The Huskies finished the 2016-17 season just 9-22 overall and 2-16 in the Pac-12. This is despite having Markelle Fultz on the roster. DraftExpress projects the freshman guard to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft.

Romar has a 298-196 record for Washington since coming to the school 2002. He has led the team to three Pac-12 tournament titles and two regular-season titles.

His teams have gone to the Sweet 16 three times, including as a No. 1 seed in 2005 and a No. 11 seed in 2010.

Unfortunately, the squad hasn't made the NCAA tournament in the last six seasons, failing to reach 20 wins in each of the last five. The 22 losses this season tied for the most in school history.

Bringing in talent has never been a problem for Romar, even before Fultz. Washington had two first-round picks in the 2016 NBA draft in Marquese Chriss and Dejounte Murray. Isaiah Thomas, Nate Robinson, Brandon Roy, Terrence Ross and Spencer Hawes are just some of the NBA stars who played for the Huskies.

Fultz was among those defending the coach after the news:

Michael Porter Jr.—the No. 5 overall player in the 2017 class, per Scout—is committed to the Huskies for next season.

However, his father, Michael Porter Sr., was named an assistant coach for Washington before the 2016-17 campaign. Per Paul Biancardi of ESPN, new Missouri head coach Cuonzo Martin could change things:

It will be difficult for the Huskies to find a recruiter as good as Romar, but they will hope to find more consistency on the court going forward. 

Washington Huskies star point guard Markelle Fultz officially declared for the NBA draft Friday, a move long assumed inevitable for a player many consider the likely top overall pick.

The Washington basketball Twitter page shared his statement:

Fultz, a freshman, averaged 23.2 points, 5.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game for the 9-22 Huskies.

Most draft experts have Fultz atop their boards. Chad Ford of ESPN.com gave Fultz the slightest edge over UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball on his latest big board:

In a survey of a number of top NBA execs and scouts, Fultz still polled slightly ahead of Ball as the No. 1 pick. What's keeping him ahead? He's a more complete player and scorer than Ball and lacks any major holes in his game.

This doesn't mean he'll be the No. 1 pick, though several teams that could potentially land the No. 1 pick like the Celtics, Sixers and Wolves seem to be leaning toward Fultz right now.

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In his latest mock draft, B/R's Jonathan Wasserman projected Fultz to land with the Boston Celtics at No. 1: "Fultz, who's 6'4" and has the shooting stroke to play off the ball, should work just fine alongside Isaiah Thomas. The Celtics could unload on teams with backcourt scoring and playmaking firepower."

While Fultz's draft slot could ultimately be determined by how the draft lottery unfolds, it's hard to imagine many teams will pass on his scoring and passing ability coupled with his solid size and sneaky athleticism. He is a smooth, fluid athlete and changes his speed well to slip past defenders, reminiscent of James Harden. If Fultz continues to improve his perimeter shot, that comparison will become even more apt.

In other words, he's the prototypical modern point guard.

Whether another team falls in love with Ball or not, Fultz is a lock to be a top-two pick barring an unforeseen development between now and the draft. There was never any doubt Fultz would enter the NBA draft after one season at Washington, and he'll be the early front-runner to earn Rookie of the Year honors next season.