Washington’s frontcourt work is already underway, and the pairing getting extra reps together says plenty about where the Huskies are headed.
A recent video posted to “X” showed junior center Lathan Sommerville and Brazilian international recruit Wini Braga putting in extra workouts at the Huskies’ home training facility in Seattle. The session had a little bit of everything for Sommerville, who was shown catching alley-oops and stepping out to shoot 3-pointers.
That kind of offseason grind matters for a Washington team trying to get back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019. The Huskies are bringing back only six players from last season, and several of those returners were slowed by injuries that cut into their impact.
To fill out the roster, Washington added nine new pieces: Class of 2026 three-star small forward Lattimore Ford, five transfers and three international recruits.
Sommerville and Braga could end up being two of the most important names in that mix.
Washington’s starting frontcourt from last season is gone. Forward Hannes Steinbach was selected 14th overall in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, while center Franck Kepnang transferred to the Kentucky Wildcats. That leaves a lot of opportunity on the table, and Sommerville is in position to chase it.
The 6-foot-10, 275-pound big man arrived at Washington last season after one year with Rutgers. He spent most of the year behind Kepnang and also missed a significant stretch with a knee injury. Even so, he finished his sophomore season averaging 4.3 points and 2.6 rebounds over 22 games, including seven starts, while shooting 43.8% from the field.
For Sommerville, this season is a chance to finally carve out a full-time role. In two years of Big Ten basketball, he hasn’t started more than 15 games in a season, and Washington now needs him to look like a starting-caliber center in a Power Four conference.
Braga brings a different kind of intrigue. He’s still something of a mystery at the college level, but Washington clearly sees a player whose game can translate. The Brazilian forward is expected to offer a skill set similar to Steinbach’s, especially as a rebounder and in the pick-and-roll.
At Minas in the Brazilian basketball league, Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB), Braga played 45 games and averaged 10.4 points on 55.1% shooting from the field and 30% from 3-point range. He also posted 6.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 1.1 assists and one steal per game.
Washington has a new-look roster and a lot of unanswered questions, but if Sommerville and Braga keep putting in work like this, the Huskies may have found a frontcourt pairing worth watching closely.
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