Washington’s frontcourt picture just got a little more interesting, and Nikola Dzepina is a big reason why.
The Huskies forward has been turning heads at the FIBA Eurobasket tournament, where he’s representing Serbia and showing the kind of production Washington has been waiting to see more consistently. In three group-stage games against Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, Dzepina averaged 17.7 points while shooting 71.4% from the field, going 15-for-21. He also chipped in 8.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, along with four total blocks and an average of one steal per game, according to basketball.eurobasket.com.
That’s a sharp contrast from what Washington got last season.
Dzepina arrived late, joining the Huskies in December for the winter quarter after being added to the roster last winter. The 6-foot-10 forward came in with a reputation as a floor-spacer, with his 3-point shooting standing out as one of the most notable parts of his game.
But the adjustment wasn’t smooth. He had trouble getting fully comfortable with the team, was in and out of the lineup over the final months, and was still learning the playbook while dealing with injuries that hit Washington.
His numbers reflected that uneven stretch. In 14 games, Dzepina averaged 2.6 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.9 blocks while shooting 30.2% from the field and 25% from 3-point range.
Now, with a full offseason behind him - aside from his time with Serbia in international play - there’s an expectation that he’ll be more settled and more productive this year.
What stands out from Eurobasket is that Dzepina wasn’t just settling for jumpers. He used his size, worked efficiently inside the arc and played with a decisiveness that could help him grow into a legitimate three-level scorer if that carries over to college basketball.
Washington’s roster will have plenty of international flavor this season. The Huskies have four overseas players among their 14 committed additions: Dzepina from Serbia, Wini Braga from Brazil, Tristan Devers from Australia and Boris Tisma from Croatia.
The team’s roster includes eight total new additions, and the group is already practicing with hopes of getting Washington back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019.
Next season’s front line should be crowded, with Dzepina joined by Braga, Tisma, Mady Traore, Lathan Sommerville and Jasir Rencher.
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For Washington fans, the reminder stings a little more because Moore has already felt the edge of it firsthand. He helped lead Oregon to a win over the Huskies in Seattle last season, a result that only added to the rivalrys recent history and reinforced why every meeting seems to carry a little more weight than the last. Even when the conversation starts with the sports oldest grudges, Oregon and Washington keep finding a way to stay in the frame. [Read more 🡒]