The Washington Huskies men's basketball program are looking to take a major step forward in its second season under head coach Danny Sprinkle.

The Huskies finished 2024-25, the first year under Sprinkle, 13-18 overall and 4-16 in the Big Ten. That record placed Washington last in its first year in the conference and the team was unable to make the 15-team cutoff for the postseason conference tournament.

In the offseason, Sprinkle and the rest of the Huskies staff completely overhauled the roster. Of the 15 players currently in the program, only two of them — sophomore guard Zoom Diallo and graduate center Franck Kepnang — were on the team last season.

Washington added talent to its backcourt in the form of guards Wesley Yates III and Desmond Claude, who both played at Southern California (USC) in 2024-25.

The Huskies also recently signed a player that will add significant depth to the frontcourt.

According to a news release from the Washington athletic department, the Huskies signed Serbian forward Nikola Dzepina.

The 6-foot-9 forward is expected to join the team in December for the winter quarter, according to the news release.

Dzepina competed for Serbia in the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup this past summer. He competed against fellow Huskies — guard JJ Mandaquit and forward Hannes Steinbach who competed for Team USA and Team Germany, respectively.

Dzepina had several standout performances in the World Cup, including 26-point, seven-rebound, five-assist showing against the Dominican Republic.

"Nikola possesses an uncommon blend of both size and skill that makes him a unique addition to our roster for the back half of the schedule," Sprinkle said in the news release. "His play during this summer's U19 World Cup really caught the eye of our staff. With his professional experience, Nikola is equipped for the size, skill and IQ necessary to compete in the Big Ten."

If Dzepina does report to the team when he's expected to, he'll be able to contribute to the team when Washington begins Big Ten action.

The Huskies begin their regular season against Arkansas Pine-Bluff at 8 p.m. PT on Nov. 3 at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle.

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