Washington’s recruiting momentum took a hit and got a boost on the same day, but the biggest swing may still be coming.
The Huskies already picked up their first commitment from the Class of 2027 on Tuesday when four-star shooting guard Jimmie Haywood chose UW over Nevada and Loyola Marymount. But Washington also came up short with five-star small forward Malachi Jordan, the No. 20 player in the country according to the 247Sports composite.
Now the focus shifts to another major target with local ties: Jalen Davis.
Davis, a five-star combo guard from Bremerton High School in Bremerton, Wash., announced Tuesday that his final four includes Washington, UCLA, Gonzaga and North Carolina. For the Huskies, that keeps alive the possibility of landing one of the top prospects in the class from just an hour-long ferry ride away.
The 6-foot-4, 175-pound guard has been on Washington’s radar for a long time, and he took an official visit to Montlake on Sept. 27, 2025.
He also has the kind of production that makes every finalist pay attention. Davis was Washington’s boys’ basketball Gatorade Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season after averaging 31.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.8 steals and 5.2 assists while shooting 63.9% from the floor.
On3 Sports’ prediction model currently gives Washington the slight edge at 23%. Stanford sits second at 20.1%, though the Cardinal did not make Davis’ final four. Among the schools still in the mix, UCLA is next at 17.3%, followed by North Carolina at 14.4% and Gonzaga at 13.9%.
Those numbers could shift quickly now that Davis has narrowed his list, but for the moment Washington appears to have a narrow lead.
There’s still a financial wrinkle in the picture. UW is reportedly the lowest-ranked team in spending for its men’s basketball roster, and Davis is expected to have several strong Name, Image and Likeness offers. Even so, that hasn’t stopped Washington from making progress on the trail, as Haywood’s commitment showed.
The Huskies have also spent the offseason adding staff with recruiting experience, including general manager Alex Kline and assistant coach Mike Mennenga.
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