Entering last season, the Washington Huskies men's basketball team had a roster that was comprised of just two players from the previous year's roster.

The Huskies rebuilt team was unable to overcome a mountain of injuries that, at times, limited the team to just seven-to-eight scholarship players available and finished 16-17 in head coach Danny Sprinkle's second year on Montlake.

One of the players that found himself dealing with an injury was then-junior forward Mady Traore.

The 6-foot-11, 195 pound forward joined Washington in the portal last year after spending one year at Frank Phillips College in Borger, Texas, in 2024-25. He originally began his collegiate career with New Mexico State ('22-23) before transferring to Maryland ('23-24).

Traore joined the Huskies as the No. 3 ranked juco (junior college) player in the transfer portal, per 247Sports. He averaged 13.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game with Frank Phillips and was named the Western Junior College Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Traore's recruitment by Washington marked a return to the NCAA Division I and Power Four level. But, Traore's return to the Big Ten ended before it could begin.

Traore suffered a torn tendon in his left foot before the season that required surgery, which kept him out for the entire year. He stayed with the team throughout the season, often appearing on the court during warmups and cheering his teammates on the bench.

The soon-to-be-senior also remained with the team through the portal, guaranteeing the Huskies at least one season with the athletic big man.

A healthy Traore could prove to be a much-needed "x-factor" for Washington.

When it comes to Traore, it's hard to gauge how good he actually is. Outside of his one season in the juco ranks, the Drancy, France, native is generally inexperienced at the college level, despite the fact he'll be a senior next season.

In his freshman year with New Mexico State, Traore played in seven games and made one start. He averaged 1.4 points, 0.4 rebounds and 0.1 blocks.

While at Maryland in his sophomore year, Traore saw the court in 12 games and made four starts. He averaged 1.3 points (on 38.1% shooting and 1.2 rebounds. He didn't average more than 8.7 minutes per game with either the Terrapins or the Lobos.

Traore's season with New Mexico State ended early due to off-the-field scandals his teammates were involved in that shut down the program and his tenure with Maryland ended early due to a knee injury.

Traore was described as the team's "most athletic player" by Sprinkle last season. Sprinkle also spoke about situations where he saw Traore make as many as 10 3-pointers in a row in practice.

That skill set would seem to position Traore to take over as a the team's stretch-four (power forward) for departed Big Ten All-Freshman Hannes Steinbach, who opted to enter the 2026 NBA Draft.

However, Traore shot just 22.2% from beyond the arc with the Plainsmen last season. His 3-point shot might not be consistent enough for UW to rely on.

A role that Traore can fill that the Huskies desperately need is a rim protector. Due to Steinbach going pro and graduate center Franck Kepnang entering the transfer portal, Washington has been in desperate need of a presence in the post. Junior center Lathan Sommerville (6-foot-10) is set to return to the team but is unproven as a presence in the paint.

Traore, in addition to shooting 53.4% from the floor with Frank Phillips, averaged 2.7 blocks across 34 games in the juco ranks, making him a prime candidate to fill in for Kepnang. His occasional ability to score outside of the paint could also create favorable offensive mismatches for Sprinkle and the Huskies.

Ultimately, Washington won't see how good Traore can be until the season begins. The team also has four spots to fill on the roster.

However, the potential is clear to see with Traore. And if he can meet that potential, he can prove to be a crucial piece for the Huskies in the 2026-27 season.

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