Washington Huskies Basketball

Washington is moving forward without do-it-all guard Isaiah Thomas. It has no choice. The 5'9" spark plug is now in Sacramento waiting to ply his trade for the Kings.

Thomas led Washington in scoring in two of his three seasons in Seattle. He was an even bigger leader and team motivator beyond all he contributed in the stat sheet. Gone with him are graduates Matthew Bryan-Amaning and Justin Holiday.

Those three figures were instrumental to the program’s success, winning back-to-back league tournament titles and making them a constant player in the then-Pac-10. This year’s three captains have a lot of live up to, but they have the talent to do just that for head coach Lorenzo Romar.

Darnell Gant, Abdul Gaddy and Scott Suggs will likely team together to replace the leadership void and collectively rally the troops.

Gaddy, a former high school All-American, has been a disappointment since he arrived on campus two seasons ago. To put it bluntly, his freshman season was poor. His sophomore season was cut short to just 13 games because of a torn ACL. However, he is back this fall and word on campus is he is better than ever.

Unfortunately for fellow co-captain Scott Suggs, he will have to wait to take the court for the Huskies. The 6'6" athletic wing player is eyeing an early- to mid-December return after suffering a stress fracture to the outside of his right foot. If timed correctly, he can be back for Washington’s New York City trip for games at Madison Square Garden against Marquette and Duke.

The one main issue for Washington will be finding the team’s go-to guy. Last season that was easy. Thomas and Amaning played their part and were a terrific inside-out duo.

Terrence Ross, in his second year on the court for UW, should see an enhanced role, as he played well off the bench, as did others like C.J. Wilcox and the aforementioned senior captain Gant.

Washington Huskies incoming impact players

Expect the ball in the hands of freshman Tony Wroten, Jr. The silky smooth point guard is a highlight machine waiting to happen with his distributing abilities. Then again, he’s also never far from a handful of turnovers, either.

Born and bred locally, the 6'4" product is straight out of renowned Garfield High School, the same Seattle program that produced former UW stars Brandon Roy and Will Conroy.

This playmaking guard has the game and will be a spectacular watch for the Husky faithful. He is just the guy to take over the reins and run the offense from the first tip of the season.

2011-12 Washington basketball schedule

A handful of walkover games are on the schedule for the Huskies to cruise through before their NYC visit in early December. Games against Marquette on Dec. 6 and Duke on Dec. 10 will be instant tests and proof of whether or not this team can be a fixture in the Top 25 this season.

UW will then host a trio of mid-majors, notably UC Santa Barbara, before its Pac-12 schedule gets underway Dec. 22 at home against Oregon State.

Two of its conference tussles will be nationally televised on ESPN. New Year’s Eve the Huskies go into Eugene for a clash with the Ducks in their brand new arena. Then on Saturday, Jan. 28, they visit to Tucson for a clash with Arizona.

The conference schedule is back-loaded with away games. Five of their last seven in the Pac-12 in February and March come away from Seattle, including their last three games of the season, facing in-state rival Washington State and then both Los Angeles schools, USC and UCLA.

Washington Huskies college basketball futures odds

The Huskies are 50/1 to win the 2011-12 national championship. Washington falls around fourth in most preseason picks for the Pac-12, behind ranked Arizona, UCLA and California.

2011-2012 Washington Huskies predictions

While the talent gone from a season ago likely outweighs what Romar has to play with this winter, the schedule could allow for a very good outcome. While their games in New York could be two losses, there isn’t a non-conference game on the schedule that doesn’t look like a solid victory.

From there, the overall strength of the Pac-12 and its new look after adding Colorado and Utah will determine how good Washington can be. The preseason rankings have three teams in the Top 25, and Washington is not one of them.

Arizona is the favorite to win the league, and deservedly so. UCLA has more overall talent as well, and there also seems to be quite a buzz about the prospects for the Golden Bears in Berkeley.

I think the season is a success if Gaddy can reach some of the hype he was labeled with when he stepped on campus (perhaps a bit unfairly).  Potentially he can form a very strong duo with freshman sensation Wroten. Washington has a lot of length and size, and you know with a Romar team you will get a squad that loves to run on offense and pressure the ball on defense.

This team needs to develop some character and create an identity minus the loss of Isaiah Thomas. The Huskies should absolutely be in the NCAA Tournament come March, as well in the mix and hang around the top of the conference, perhaps playing a spoiler role at the very least.

I think 20 wins is obtainable for this team.

Doc Moseman is the owner of Doc’s Sports college basketball picks website.

The Washington Huskies' most important player for the 2011-12 season will be senior forward, Darnell Gant. 

I would even go as far to say the season, in fact, hinges on the Crenshaw native who played just 18 minutes per game as a junior. 

These might sound like overstatements, but this team badly needs a leader, and I don't see anyone else besides Gant, a drama major, stepping up to fill that role.

The Huskies will have a slew of talent, there is no doubt about that. Sophomore Terrence Ross is one of the most explosive scorers in the country. Add in sharp shooters C.J. Wilcox and Scott Suggs, and you have one of the best scoring guard trios in the nation.

Point guard Abdul Gaddy hasn't lived up to expectations, and even though he's coming off ACL surgery, he should be able to adequately distribute the ball.

The Huskies have also added the 19th best recruiting class, which includes immediate impact guys Tony Wroten and former Maryland recruit Martin Bruenig. 

So the Huskies have talent, and more specifically, they have scoring talent. Their weaknesses, however, will be both a lack of a leader and a lack of defense.

Defensively, the Huskies have never been that great. They rely on ball pressure to create lots of steals in order to get out on the break. It works sometimes, but it often leaves them susceptible to lots of dribble drives, and I don't see that getting any better next season.

Their best on-ball defenders, Venoy Overton and Justin Holiday, graduated, as did their best shot-blocker, Matthew Bryan-Amaning. Isaiah Thomas was also a pesky defender who created lots of steals. He, too, is gone. 

As far as leadership, the Huskies only have three seniors: Gant, Suggs, who, by all accounts, is very quiet on the court; and Brendan Sherrer, who only plays in blowouts. 

The one thing linking the Huskies' two weaknesses is Darnell Gant. He is supposedly working on being more vocal this summer, and he has always played hard-nosed defense. 

Gant is what I like to refer to as a mini-Kevin Garnett.

They have similar body types, and they play with a similar style. Gant doesn't quite have the post-up game that Garnett has, but he can step outside and hit the mid-range jumper (or even the three from the college line).

Like Garnett, Gant does the dirty work. He plays hard defense, boxes out, makes hustle plays and can guard any position. I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes common to see him on the opposing team's best player. 

All the flashy, dominating scorers are nice, sure, but doesn't the age-old saying, "defense wins championships" mean anything? Who's going to make that key block? Or that game-changing out-of-bounds dive?

Vocally, who is going to step up during a crucial timeout? Who's going to get on his teammates for not doing what they're supposed to be doing?  Who are all the players going to trust?

Tony Wroten? Maybe, but he's still too young. Terrence Ross? Abdul Gaddy? C.J. Wilcox? They all strike me as quiet players on the court, just like Suggs. Aziz N'Diaye? Yeah, right. 

It's Darnell Gant. As a redshirt senior, he's been there the longest. He's know this team inside and out. He's easily the toughest competitor.

Will Gant be a volume scorer? Of course not, but the Huskes have plenty of those. They need someone who will be a consistent five point, seven rebound, two assist, one block, one steal, one three-pointer and five hustle plays a game type of player.

In short, Gant needs to step into Justin Holiday's role. He needs to contribute everywhere and keep all the young kids on their game. 

It's a tough task, and it's still a huge question as to whether or not he will be up to it. But as his protege Kevin Garnett likes to say, "anything is possible."

With national letter of intent day for college basketball long since past, the Huskies picked up a final commitment on Thursday. Shawn Kemp Jr, the son of former Seattle Supersonic Shawn Kemp, will sign a financial aid agreement indicating his commitment to play basketball at the University of Washington.

Though the Huskies can be certain now that they will have a full complement of players on the roster, it is uncertain what players such as Kemp will bring to the team.

Other than point guard Tony Wroten, a dynamic 5-star recruit from Seattle, the word that best describes the rest of Romar's recruits: potential.

Hakeem Stewart, another Seattle product lacks the star power of Wroten but appears to be have the ability to contribute next year. Many freshmen have struggled with the complex defensive schemes employed by the Huskies including Terrence Ross, but Stewart will have to buck that trend to find minutes in a crowded back court.

Joining Stewart in the Husky back court is guard Andrew Andrews. Until the early departure of Isaiah Thomas, Andrews appeared headed to prep school. In addition to depth at the guard position, Andrews lack of strength makes it likely that he will red-shirt.

Jernard Jarreau, the only "big" man signed during the regular signing period, is lengthy player who some say lacks strength to truly compete down low. Though red-shirting would likely aid in his development as a low-post player and allow him time to bulk up, the lack of depth in the front court may force the Huskies to throw him into the fray immediately.

Martin Breunig and Shawn Kemp, Jr, both added to the squad after the official signing day, will have the opportunity to contribute immediately. Breunig should provide the ability to score with the circle and play defense; however, it remains to be seen whether he can be a presence on the glass. Shawn Kemp Jr. will bring raw size and athleticism, but time away from basketball may hamper his adjustment to Division-I basketball.

With the late additions of Breunig and Kemp, Lorenzo Romar has compiled a recruiting class that appears to address the teams needs at least in terms of position.

The ceiling of potential for these players may be high in the long-term, but for this first year fans should temper their expectations outside of Wroten. Stewart will have a tough time finding minutes at either of the guard spots, as will Andrews.

Each of the big men will be given the opportunity to see the floor as back ups to Gant and N'Diaye, but it will take time for them to adjust to the college game and Romar's style of defense. Additionally, Jarreau will need to find the weight room right away while Kemp will need to get into playing shape before making it "reign" at Hec Ed. 

Due to the emphasis potential in this class, it will be difficult to say whether Lorenzo Romar was successful overall. Though Romar has filled positional needs, it is too early to place final judgment on whether this class will provide the extra push past the Sweet 16.

Using the sensitive tradition that endures fans of every college program towards the humility of our lumberjack-infested friends at the University of Oregon, Duck comments have been fired this week, over the antics of Husky basketball graduate Vinoy Overton.

You remember Overton, right?

As UW pummeled the Ducks in the Pac-10 basketball tournament in March, Overton sat glumly on the Husky pine, suspended by a fed up coach due to accusations from a 16-year-old high school student. 

Let me say up front that this is NOT an attempt to defend Overton.  It is not.  We're all outraged over the charges against him and should be.  Exploiting others for profit is never ok.  Ever.

If you're unfamiliar with the story, earlier this month Venoy Overton was arrested and charged with promoting prostitution—forcing similar aged girls to perform sexual acts and then demanding profits be split with him.

Like most University of Washington fans and anyone familiar with the struggles of poverty, I too am horrified by what Overton is accused of. There is no excuse for exploitation of other human beings for profit, regardless of one’s own struggles.

Nothing justifies it.  Not issues currently being wrestled with, not the NCAA doing the same with collegiate athletes, not past generations involved with slavery.  Nothing.

The fact that it happens to be young women exploited for sexual favors in Overton’s case is particularly distasteful, and it’s especially difficult to fathom when it comes from college graduates who are supposed to know better.

Overton either skipped the classes that deal with such topics, or our educational system has been a dismal failure.  If a four-year college grad can make it through coursework without the common tenants of basic morality wreaking havoc on one’s conscience, then as a society we’ve completely failed in our schools and universities! 

Both fans and foes of the University of Washington basketball program see that behavior as “punks running a muck,” where a tattooed athlete, coddled and praised from an early age, sees himself as above the law and therefore willing to participate in any scheme for profit without consequences.

And yet just when I'm about ready to pick up the first stone, I have to ask myself if I’m not being just a tad hypocritical, since so many things in my own life are not exactly pure and pristine.

Attitudes about matters that nobody else sees, hidden away in the deep corners of my life.

We have the NBA, a professional basketball league, demanding hundreds of millions from taxpayer money for new un-needed arenas.  Money that probably aught to go towards schools and roads, blackmailed out of communties. 

How is mis-spending millions of dollars less immoral, than what Overton did?  From where I sit it seems very similar in terms of immorality.

Venoy Overton is just a kid, while some of us throwing the stones are older than some mountain ranges.  You could blame his sins on youthful stupidity, but what could possibly be the excuse of accomplished businesmen that exploit the poor for profit?

Reading and hearing comments from sports fans, it appears the hypocrisy is wide-spread.

One particular comment from a devoted Duck fan makes me wonder why people in Oregon feel so self-righteous? 

"Log in your own eye” I believe they call it. 

Said Oregon Duck fan Chris Anderson:

“Hey Phil, Vinoy Overton is a class act isn't he. Sounds like he should have been locked up a long time ago, but at least Seattle was nice enough to let him help you guys out first!!  You're right, huskies are classy” 

I got ticked off when I read that, but mostly because Mr. Anderson’s comments are closer to being correct than incorrect. 

It’s difficult for fans at UW to claim the moral high ground, when one of your own former players is making the kind of statements that Venoy Overton is alleged to have made. 

But what Oregon fans might want to think about, is how Overton exploiting people for profit is any different than Phil Knight and Nike exploiting people for profit ?   Phil Knight has made, and continues to earn, profits from firms that abuse and exploit the poor.

Oregon fans claim that Phil Knight is merely sub-contracting the manufacturing process.  Ok fine, but does that not make him directly responsible for the way in which these manufacturers conduct business?  If you sub-contract with a independent business, in reality you become part of that business.  Especially when your business is the vast majority of their business.

In the University of Oregon's case, they too have become directly linked to the abuse Phil Knight is being accused of in the third world.  The profits Nike makes from firms that pay their employees 21 cents an hour while working in unsafe conditions, are now financing the Ducks football & basketball programs.

In both Overton's and Nike's sub-contracting situations, humans are viewed as simple assets like saws or pencils, exploited for what they can earn.  Disturbingly similar to the slavery of prior generations, of which this generation feels so morally superior.

And it's not really a liberal vs. conservative matter either, since Overton and Nike have nothing to do with politics.  But if you insist on making it political, which ideology insists that forcing women into prostitution is just?  Which one condones eight-year-olds sewing soccer balls for 12 hours a day?

Perhaps the biggest sin Overton committed was getting caught and publicized?

Tell me again, how much money did that new “Deep in the Woods” arena cost, which Mr. Knight donated to Oregon?  Where did that money come from?  How was it earned?

And what about the uniforms, and the new locker rooms, and everything else that the Duck program enjoys?  Who financed these buildings?  Wasn't dirty Phil Knight's fingerprints over the entire organization at Oregon, from blue prints to who gets hired as a football coach? 

It appears the only difference in these two cases is that the guy who made the most money from this sort of behavior is getting away with it, while the guy who just got started doing simular things, got caught.

Other than that, what's the difference?  Exploitation is exploitation!   It doesn't really matter who is doing it.

Accusations continue to flow, insisting Nike has not reformed and has no intention of doing so.  In spite of contrary promises made at Congressional hearings over a decade ago. Nike continues to earn millions of dollars from exploiting third-world workers, in conditions that most of us wouldn’t tolerate for our least favorite pet. 

And yet Oregon fans feel justified to criticize Overton, if recent blogs are any indication, for doing roughly the same thing to young women that Nike is accused of doing to kids even younger.  Only in the later case, Oregon gets to share the profits for new stadiums and pretty uniforms.

Sorry, but I'm not seeing that either institution has the high ground in this matter.  Maybe it's time we all sit down and do some self-reflecting instead of hating on a 22-year-old former basketball star whose career and future is now ruined? 

Is taking money from someone earning it via worker exploitation, any less horrendous than what Overton is accused of doing? 

I say no it is not.  BOTH situations make me suspect that whatever we're teaching our kids needs to change.  This is not what we envisioned four decades ago during all the peace marches and cries for justice. 

This is just more of the same!

Other links pertaining to recent activity on this subject

Nike business practices

University of Washington students active in sweat shop reform

For more on this subject by the same author, see: Nike, Phil Knight and the University of Oregon: Should the Ducks be Doing It?

Soon there will be another diminutive (by NBA standards) point guard in the NBA that hails from the University of Washington and this one, Isaiah Thomas, has the potential to be a more pure point guard than Nate Robinson, by which I mean that he will be able to do a better job of setting up his teammates for baskets while avoiding turnovers.

Both Robinson and Thomas had very similar career paths in college in terms of both their shooting and distribution of the ball. During each of their three seasons at the University of Washington, they saw their shooting percentages increase while the percentage of the shots they took for their teams decrease.

Robinson's true shooting percentage and percentage of shots taken for his teams went from 52.3 percent and 30.0 percent as a freshman to 55.9 percent and 24.1 percent as a sophomore to 58.7 percent and 22.9 percent as a junior.

Thomas' true shooting percentage and percentage of shots taken for his teams went from 51.1 percent and 28.9 percent as a freshman to 54.0 percent and 26.9 percent as a sophomore to 55.6 percent and 23.6 percent as a junior.

Robinson was a better shooter in college than Thomas and would probably be better off playing more shooting guard in the NBA, but his lack of height pretty much forces NBA teams into playing him at point guard and it is there where Thomas has more potential than Robinson did before he entered the NBA.

Although neither was really asked to be play point guard exclusively in their first two collegiate seasons, as juniors, each was asked to assume more point guard duties. Robinson split distribution duties with teammate Will Conroy as head coach Lorenzo Romar also realized that Robinson was at his best when he was not the team's primary point guard and could better help the team in more of a combo guard role.

Still, Robinson had his best year as a distributor. He averaged 4.5 assists per game and assisted on 23.6 percent of his teammate's shots while on the floor. His 12.7 turnover percentage was also the lowest of his career in college.

Thomas had no teammate with which to share point guard duties in his junior season and it showed as he handled his role as the team's primary point guard extremely well. In that season, Thomas averaged 6.3 assists per game and assisted on 33.5 percent of his team's made field goals while he was on the floor. He also managed to keep his turnovers down to a respectable level with a 16.8 turnover percentage.

If Thomas does elect to remain in the NBA draft, he will have an advantage that Robinson never experienced. Due to the fact he has already had the experience of running an offense full-time and has shown the ability to do it proficiently, he will enter the NBA more ready to take over a team's offense, which will make his transition a lot easier and set him up to be a more successful point guard.