New Husky coach Danny Sprinkle didn’t have to look far to find his first frontcourt transfer and the fifth addition to the Washington men’s basketball team.
Oregon State center KC Ibekwe announced he’s leaving the Beavers and plans to play for the Huskies next season.
Last season, the 6-foot-10 and 287-pound sophomore led Oregon State with 38 blocked shots while averaging 5.1 points and 4.2 rebounds and shooting 52.3% from the field. He started 22 of 32 games.
Ibekwe had a couple of forgettable performances against Washington last season in which he totaled just four points and three rebounds in 30 minutes as a starter. The Huskies won both games.
Sprinkle, who coached at Utah State last season, lost 74-71 against Oregon State on Dec. 9, 2023. Ibekwe tallied eight points on 4-for-4 shooting, three rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 13 minutes.
Seemingly, Ibekwe will compete with senior center Franck Kepnang and junior forward Wilhelm Breidenbach for a starting assignment and minutes in the post. Kepnang is recovering from his second season-ending knee injury and is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.
It remains to be seen if sophomore forward Samuel Ariyibi and freshman forward Christian King will return. Players intending to transfer and retain eligibility next season had to enter the transfer portal before Wednesday’s deadline.
Washington signed Rice sophomore guard Mekhi Mason, Butler senior guard DJ Davis and four-star recruit Zoom Diallo. The Huskies also have a commitment from touted prep prospect Jase Butler.
Osobor taking trip to UW
After a trip to Kentucky, former Utah State star Great Osobor is reportedly no longer considering playing for the Wildcats. The 2024 Mountain West Player of the Year is scheduled to visit Louisville and Texas Tech before making his final recruiting stop at Washington this weekend.
Osobor is a huge recruiting target for Sprinkle, who coached the Bradford, England, native the past three years, including two at Montana State.
Last season, the 6-foot-8, 250-pound forward averaged 17.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals while shooting 57.7% from the field and leading the Aggies to a 28-7 record.
- San Diego State forward Elijah Saunders is also reportedly visiting the Huskies this weekend.
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