The Huskies are starting off this offseason in a slightly better place than last year
The Washington Huskies men's basketball team are likely due for another offseason focused on rebuilding the roster.
Last offseason, the Huskies only had two returners from the year prior and had 13 newcomers who were either freshmen or transfer additions.
The only two returners this past season from head coach Danny Sprinkle's first in 2024-25 were sophomore guard Zoom Diallo and graduate center Franck Kepnang.
Diallo will likely not be one of the returners this upcoming season. He announced his decision to enter the transfer portal last week but is keeping the option open to return to UW, per a statement.
Diallo was one of three Washington guards to announce his intention to enter the portal, with freshmen JJ Mandaquit and Courtland Muldrew being the other two.
The Huskies recently released their preliminary list of players on the 2026-27 roster.
Unless the players currently listed on the roster have signed contracts, there's a chance they could still opt to enter the portal. The roster will also likely grow with any Class of 2026 recruits and portal additions.
Here's a list of the players currently on Washington's roster for next season:
BJ Roy, G, Soph.
The son of Huskies legend Brandon Roy was used primarily as an end-of-bench player in garbage time. He played seven total minutes across five games this past season. He averaged one point per game.
Jasir Rencher, F, Soph.
The sophomore Oakland, Calif., native entered this season with high expectations but had an unfortunate ending to the year.
Rencher played in just eight games with steadily-progressing minutes but missed the second half of the season due to a heart issue he had surgery on. His heart condition has cast doubt on his availability for next season.
Rencher averaged three points and 1.8 rebounds per game.
Wesley Yates III, G, Jr.
Of the players currently on the roster, Yates was the most significant offensive contributor from a year ago.
Yates, who missed time due to a broken bone in his wrist, played in 27 games and started 25. He averaged 12.7 points on 37.1% shooting from the floor. He also pulled in 3.3 rebounds and dished 1.3 assists per game. His 1.52 steals per game ranked fifth in the Big Ten.
Franck Kepnang, C, Gr. (Sr.)
Kepnang managed to play a (mostly) healthy season for the first time in his career. He played in 27 games and started 25 before missing the final games of the regular season and the Big Ten tournament due to a stress reaction in his leg.
Kepnang averaged 6.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.
Washington Huskies center Franck Kepnang shoots during a game against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds on Dec. 13 at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle. | Kevin Ng/Imagn Images.Mandy Traore, F, Sr.
Washington will likely get its first true look at Traore in the 2026-27 season.
Traore missed the entire season with a foot injury after transferring in from Frank Phillips College. He was ranked as the No. 3 junior college prospect in the portal last offseason according to 247Sports.
Lathan Sommerville, C, Jr.
Sommerville was the primary backup center behind Kepnang when the former was healthy. But the Peoria, Ill., native missed significant time due to injuries.
Somerville missed games due to an ankle sprain and a knee injury. He played 22 contests out of a potential 33 and started seven. He averaged 4.3 points on 43.8% shooting and pulled in 2.6 rebounds per game.
Nikola Dzepina, F/C, Soph.
The 6-foot-10 Serbian was late to join the roster. He enrolled ahead of the Winter quarter and didn't get consistent playing time due to injuries and learning the playbook.
Dzepina saw action in 14 games. He averaged 2.6 points, 1.3 rebounds and just under one block per game.
Other notes
-- Players who still have eligibility, including senior guard Desmond Claude junior forward Bryson Tucker, were both absent from the roster. Tucker left the team late in the year due to "personal reasons" and Claude missed the second half of the year recovering from an ankle injury.
-- Hannes Steinbach, who's been speculated to enter the 2026 NBA Draft, was also absent from the roster.
-- Senior guard Quimari Peterson and senior forward Jacob Ogancevic were among the seniors who ran out of eligibility.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
Remember to join our HUSKIES on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Washington fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too