Washington Basketball: Lorenzo Romar out as Huskies head coach
By Connor Hope
After 15 years, Lorenzo Romar’s time with the Washingon Huskies has come to an end. Who could be next in line for the position?
News broke on Wednesday that Lorenzo Romar had been fired as the head coach for the Washington Huskies Men’s Basketball team. This should come as no surprise, following his most disappointing season to date.
In his first nine years as head coach of the UW Men’s Basketball program, Romar turned the program around. He led the Huskies to six NCAA Tournament, three appearances in the Sweet 16, and two Pac-12 regular season titles.
Romar was also a fantastic recruiter, signing Nate Robinson, Brandon Roy, and Isaiah Thomas. While his ability to recruit remained high, his ability to win at a high level dwindled over the last five years.
Despite having players like Terrence Ross, Tony Wroten, and Marquese Chriss on his team, Romar has not returned to the NCAA Tournament. During that span, Romar’s Huskies have gone 103-94, with a 48-60 record in Pac-12 play.
This year, however, was his most disappointing to date. With the projected first pick in the NBA Draft, Markelle Fultz manning the point, Romar’s team was expected to compete for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. This team did not live up to expectations, though, finishing 9-22, with a last place 2-16 Pac-12 record.
With Romar out and Fultz leaving for the draft, it will be interesting to see what happens with the Huskies.
As with most head coaching changes, we can expect some players to transfer in search of a winning program. It should also be no surprise Romar’s recruits, including top recruit Michael Porter Jr., decide to play for another school.
After last year’s disaster of a season and the potential players to leave, the outlook for the incoming head coach will be grim.
Possible candidates for Romar’s position could include names like Brandon Roy and Tommy Lloyd.
Brandon Roy, a former Huskies standout and NBA player, is currently the head coach for the Nathan Hale High School basketball team. Roy has coached the team, with a 3-18 record last year, to a 28-0 record and a No. 1 ranking nationally. Hiring Roy would also create a better opportunity to keep Michael Porter Jr., who plays for Roy at Nathan Hale.
Another possible option for Washington would be to hire Gonzaga Bulldogs’ Assistant Coach, Tommy Lloyd. Lloyd has been the assistant at Gonzaga for the last 16 years, working closely under Head Coach Mark Few. He has provided the Bulldogs with his ability to recruit top international talent. His ability to recruit and the knowledge he has gained under Few would benefit the Huskies’ program, which is in dire need of new direction.
It will be interesting to see who Washington targets over the next few weeks, and where Lorenzo Romar might land.