Danny Sprinkle Addresses Luis Kortright's UW Suspension

Originally posted on Washington Huskies on SI
By Dan Raley | Last updated Feb 11, 2025 3:08 PM ET

With eight games left in the regular season, which might be all they get, University of Washington basketball players are finding out more and more what a demanding coach Danny Sprinkle can be in establishing his program.

For instance, much-discussed midseason addition Dominique Diomande, a 6-foot-8 forward from France, needs to be fully ready to play before Sprinkle puts him on the floor on game night, even as fans want to see what the newcomer is all about.

Even more so, senior guard Luis Kortright finds himself suspended indefinitely from the team as the Huskies (12-11 overall, 3-9 conference) travel to Ohio State and Penn State this week for another Big Ten road trip, with him needing to get back into Sprinkle's good graces in order to finish the season.

"He didn't do anything illegal, nothing like that," Sprinkle said on Monday. "He's a good kid. There are just some things that are non-negotiable with me and our program, and he needs to live up to those."

Kortright, a Rhode Island transfer, and Sprinkle have had an interesting dynamic this season with the player and the coach pointing out how tough each other is.

"He's a typical New York kid," Sprinkle said of his playmaker a month ago. "He's not backing down from anybody. That's what I love about him."

After a difficult 81-77 defeat to Illinois, the 6-foot-3 guard offered a fairly frank assessment of Sprinkle and his coaching style.

"One thing about Sprinkle is he's going to hold you accountable, make you a man," Kortright said. "If you don't want to be man to man, don't come play for him."

That said, this veteran guard and feisty first-year Husky coach have butted heads at times this season.

Sprinkle openly mentioned how Kortright was in "his doghouse" in December, with the backcourt player sitting out games against Eastern Washington and Washington State, but that he had returned from the Christmas break with new energy.

Kortright, who's appeared in 18 games, started three and averages 4.9 points per outing, recently had been dealing with an ankle sprain that forced him to miss games against Minnesota and Nebraska, and it's possible he let the injury frustrate him.

Sprinkle said he and the guard, who is not on the road trip, would meet once the team returned and deal with the suspension.

This article first appeared on Washington Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: