PAC-12 Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2020-21 season

It was a painful season on Montlake for coach Mike Hopkins and the University of Washington Huskies in 2019-2020. The addition of two freshmen phenoms – Isaiah Stewart and Jaden McDaniels, along with Kentucky transfer Quade Green, should have easily made up for the losses of Matisse Thybulle, Jalen Nowell, Sam Timmins, and Noah Dickerson.

Instead, attitude issues and an underwhelming performance from McDaniels and an academic issue for Green caused the Huskies to spiral completely out of control, at one point losing nine conference games in a row and finishing dead last in the PAC-12.

Now, with McDaniels and Stewart both headed to the NBA, and without a single class of 2020 recruit joining the team, it’s hard to be too optimistic about this crew in 2020-2021.

The Huskies did land a pair of transfers, Cole Bajema from Michigan and Erik Stevenson from Wichita State, but only Bajema will be eligible this year after earning a waiver to return closer to home. Bajema was a top 100 recruit by the Wolverines in 2019, but he only averaged 2.9 points in 37 total minutes of action – although he did knock down 4-of-7 three-point attempts, his calling card coming out of high school.

Additionally, the team still has some good young talent to turn to in 2020 to potentially keep them out of the PAC-12 cellar. Green will be back and eligible, and he’ll be joined by Nahziah Carter, Jamal Bey, Raequan Battle, and Hameir Wright, all top-tier recruits who coach Hopkins is hoping will take a step forward this upcoming season.

Factor in USC transfer J’Raan Brooks – a top 100 prospect from the Seattle area who is eligible this year, and you have the makings of a team that could realistically finish anywhere from 3-12 in this conference. It will be a big test for Hopkins and his staff to see what they can turn this team into this season.