There are multiple players in the transfer portal that have been recruited by the Washington Huskies head coach in the past
The Washington Huskies men's basketball team has been hit hard in the transfer portal in the past week.
Guards Courtland Muldrew, Zoom Diallo and JJ Mandaquit have all announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal this season.
With those departures, freshman forward Hannes Steinbach likely heading to the NBA and the seniors who've ran out of eligibility, that leaves head coach Danny Sprinkle limited returners on the roster.
As of Sunday, the only players who are set to return to the team for the 2026-27 season are: junior guard Wesley Yates III, freshman guard Mady Traore, sophomore forward Jasir Rencher, sophomore center Nikola Dzepina and sophomore guard Brandon Roy Jr.
The Huskies are also yet to earn a commitment for the Class of 2026. That could change in the future. Top overall 2026 graduate Tyran Stokes is still deciding on his future, with Washington being among the teams he's considering. The eighth-best player in the class (per 247Sports), Dylan Mingo, could also reconsider his current commitment to North Carolina with the recent firing of Hubert Davis.
Tyran Stokes (4) dribbles against Bruce Branch III (3) during the McDonalds All-American Boys Game on March 31 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz. | Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images.Regardless of whether Stokes or Mingo head to the Pacific Northwest, the Huskies still have just five spots currently secured on the 2026-27 roster and that number can still decrease.
This will leave the transfer portal as the place Washington will look to to fill out the roster.
And there are multiple players in the portal that have ties to Sprinkle.
Kase Wynott, G, Washington State
Idaho's all-time leading high school scorer was recruited by Sprinkle across multiple stops.
Sprinkle first started recruiting Wynott when the former was at Montana State and honored the scholarship when he was brought on at Utah State.
Wynott originally committed to Utah State under Sprinkle but decommitted when the coach took the job with the Huskies.
The soon-to-be junior had the option to follow Sprinkle to Washington but opted to stay close to home (Lapwai, Idaho) and commit to Washington State in Pullman, Wash.
In two seasons with the Cougars, Wynott was limited to just 29 games. He played just five games last season due to a hip injury.
In those 29 games, Wynott averaged 1.7 points per game on 35.8% shooting and pulled in 1.3 rebounds per game.
The former Lapwai Wildcat hasn't had an opportunity to showcase what he can do at the college level and a reunion with Sprinkle and an opportunity to earn playing time could help him do just that.
Terrence Hill Jr., G, VCU
Similar to Wynott, Hill was a player who was originally recruited by Sprinkle and committed to Utah State.
Hill flipped his commitment to VCU and, unlike Wynott, was able to perform at the NCAA Division I level.
Hill played 36 games (started two) last season. He averaged 15 points per game on 46.6% shooting (including a 37% mark from 3-point range) and also averaged 2.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game.
VCU guard Terrence Hill Jr. (6) goes for a layup during a second round game against Illinois in a Round of 32 NCAA Tournament game March 21 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. | Bob Donnan/Imagn images.UW could be in competition for its Pacific Northwest rivals, the Oregon Ducks, due to Hill's hometown being in Portland, Ore.
Due to the amount of guards who've already left the team, either player would likely be a candidate to earn significant playing time if the program landed them. And Sprinkle might have the advantage due to his past relationships with both players.
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