The Washington Huskies are still in the early stages of putting this roster together on the floor, but Tuesday’s open practice offered a look at how the pieces are starting to fit.
With the regular season two weeks away, Washington worked in front of the media at Alaska Airlines Arena for the first time this season. The Huskies are set to open the 2026-27 campaign against Colgate at 7 p.m.
PT on Nov. 2 in Seattle, and they’ve already taken one official tune-up step: a 109-91 loss to Boise State on Oct. 17.
There’s one more exhibition left before things count for real. Washington will face Washington State at 1 p.m. PT on Sunday at Alaska Airlines Arena, and that game will close out the preseason work.
What stood out most Tuesday was how much of this team is still learning on the fly. Washington brought in nine newcomers this offseason - one Class of 2026 commitment, six transfer additions and two international signees - and several of them were active throughout practice.
Texas Tech transfer LeJuan Watts looked like a featured option offensively, scoring both in the post and from beyond the arc. Gonzaga transfer Steele Venters and Davidson transfer Parker Friedrichsen also got plenty of three-point looks and knocked down several.
Brazilian forward Wini Braga, who came to Seattle from professional league Novo Basquete Brasil, made his presence felt in the rebounding work as well.
The returnees, meanwhile, were doing their part to set the tone. Washington has six returning players, and only one of them - fourth-year Wesley Yates III - entered the season with significant starting experience. Third-year center Lathan Sommerville was especially vocal, and as he was last season, he came across as one of the most competitive players on the floor.
That kind of leadership matters for a roster this new, and the Huskies seemed to be leaning on their holdovers to help the newcomers settle in and build chemistry.
The two international signees also had a strong showing. Braga was active on the glass and jumped passing lanes, while Australian guard Tristan Devers spent time running at point guard during drill periods and brought a disruptive edge on the perimeter.
Two players were out of practice Tuesday: fourth-year point guard Ryan Beasley, a San Francisco transfer who also did not play against Boise State, and fifth-year forward Mady Traore. Traore missed all of last season because of a foot injury. Both were working on exercise bikes and rowing machines.
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