The college basketball transfer portal brought us a ton of surprises, with so many players coming and going. Among the most notable names were Desmond Claude, a 6’5 junior guard who led the USC Trojans with 15.8 ppg and 4.2 apg last season.
Claude opted to enter the transfer portal towards the deadline and had plenty of interest at the start. However, there were a number of twists and turns in the past few weeks. Programs including Alabama, Florida, Gonzaga, and Tennessee were among the notable options, but things didn’t work out between the sides.
However, the Washington Huskies were another team in the mix. After other visits were made, Claude decided to stay in the Big Ten for one more year, ultimately.
Hold up, wait a minute, y'all thought we were finished?
— Washington Men's Basketball (@UW_MBB) June 10, 2025
📰 https://t.co/AXy793JA1H pic.twitter.com/8gTvvUGjps
There was a fair amount of hype with the Huskies in Coach Danny Sprinkle’s first year. Things didn’t work out for the program, going 13-18 overall and finishing last in the Big Ten standings. A complete roster overhaul was made, with freshman Zoom Diallo (11.1 ppg and 2.7 apg) the only rotation player coming back.
The hope is that the retooled backcourt will be good enough to turn Washington around. Quimari Peterson is a 6’1 guard from East Tennessee State who averaged 19.5 ppg and 3.7 apg, earning SoCon Player of the Year honors. Claude also reunites with former USC teammate Wesley Yates, who produced 14.1 ppg in his first full season.
It creates an interesting question as to who’ll start in the backcourt. Claude and Yates were starters at USC, while Diallo is the one returning guard. Peterson is the mid-major transfer of the group and unproven at the Big Ten level, but is the lone pure veteran ball-handler of the group.
Will Desmond Claude be why the Huskies return to the NCAA Tournament? Maybe not. But this signing definitely makes them more intriguing for the 2025-26 campaign.