Wesley Yates III (6) handles the ball against the Maryland Terrapins. Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

5 Years Without a Draft Pick, UW Basketball Could Have 2 Next Season

Originally posted on Washington Huskies on SI
By Dan Raley | Last updated Jun 27, 2025 3:17 PM ET

Another NBA Draft has come and gone without a University of Washington basketball player being selected

Five consecutive drafts -- nothing.

Washington State had three players chosen in that time.

The Huskies, zip.

Imagine the TV ratings coming out of the Seattle area for this annual basketball talent dispersal. In the tank. Non-existent.

Well, according to ESPN and Jonathan Givony of Draft Express, this particular Northwest basketball dry spell is about to change for the Huskies.

In 12 months, Givony projects the UW's incoming 6-foot-10 German forward Hannes Steinbach and 6-foot-4 shooting guard Wesley Yates III will be taken 26th, late in the first round, and 51st, or midway through the second round, respectively.

Montlake draft picks at last.

Goodbye 2025 NBA draft, and hello to the 2026 draft cycle!

Debuting our full 60-pick mock, with an overview of the class, themes to monitor and more.

STORY: https://t.co/142fdF7mYV pic.twitter.com/0NEYZYp4aM
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 27, 2025

Brandon Roy, Isaiah Thomas and Detlef Schrempf all just rose to their feet and said thank you to Danny Sprinkle, the second-year UW coach and determined pursuer of high-level basketball talent.

This weekend, the highly mobile and physical enough Steinbach finds himself in Lausanne, Switzerland, to play for Germany in the U19 FIBA World Cup before reporting to the UW for what appears to be a brief but intriguing whirl with the college game.

Yates, who has all of the shots in his offensive arsenal, soon will be pulling on a Husky uniform for the second time in three years after spending last season at USC. He was an injured UW player in 2023-24 and never got in a game before transferring out after Mike Hopkins was fired. His Alaska Airlines Arena unveiling as a home player has been long overdue.

Hopkins, in his seven seasons in Montlake, had just four players drafted.

They included 6-foot-5 guard Matisse Thybulle (2019, first round, No. 20, Boston Celtics), 6-foot-4 guard Jaylen Nowell (2019, second round, No. 43, Minnesota Timberwolves), 6-foot-8 forward Isaiah Stewart (2020, first round, No. 16, Detroit Pistons) and 6-foot-9 forward Jaden McDaniels (2020, first round, No. 28, Minnesota Timberwolves).

Finally, someone is about to join them at the next level.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

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

More must-reads: