Dawgman.com's Chris Fetters caught up with the Head of Hoops - Aaron Beach - to talk about all things Washington Basketball and recruiting, starting with the idea they may not be completely done with signings for the 2020 class.
Both Erik Stevenson and Nate Pryor signed letters of intent last month to be Huskies, and now former Lynden Christian star Cole Bajema is back on the market after leaving Michigan. Beach talks about his game and how good a fit he would be for the Huskies if he chooses to stay closer to home this time around.
Then the talk moves to more recruiting, but this time for a loaded 2021 class. With two players graduating after the 2020-21 season (Nahziah Carter and Hameir Wright), and a possible third leaving after the year is done (Quade Green), Washington could grab up to three, and maybe even more players for the 2021 class. Olympia's Jackson Grant has already committed to Washington, and the Huskies are hot on the heels of some other local players, including Jaylen Nowell's younger brother Shane. But Eastside Catholic star Nolan Hickman is right near the top of their list.
But at the very top of their wish list is O'Dea phenom Paolo Banchero, and Beach talks about his options, which include the NBA G-League. the G League, starting this season, will be offering contracts to select players not yet eligible to declare for the NBA Draft, and could earn as much as $125,000 for a season.
Would that be enough to entice a player of Banchero's quality away from college? Beach believes that with the new NLI (Name, Likeness, and Image) rights granted to college players in the coming years might generate enough income for certain players to go to school and stay for a couple of years.
Finally, Fetters and Beach break down what Washington's rotation will likely look like starting this fall. Will Mike Hopkins try and get back to using a strict 8-man rotation? And if so, which players will fit that rotation? It's not an easy question to answer, because at least one or two quality players could be riding a lot of pine this winter as a result.
And what does Beach think the backcourt duo of Green and Stevenson are capable of this fall? And is it a smart assumption to believe Stevenson will be eligible to play right away?
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