Washington appears to have strengthened its roster today with the addition of Indiana transfer, a forward, according to a report from Jeff Goodman of Field of 68. Top star, who averaged 5.4 points and 2.9 rebounds in 23 games as a true freshman last season, has three years of eligibility left.
Listed at 6’6″ and 207 pounds, was a highly touted five-star recruit ranked No. 21 overall in the 247Sports Composite coming out of Bowie, Maryland. He chose Indiana after also making an official visit to Kansas and receiving offers from top programs like Duke, Michigan State, and Villanova.
He drew significant interest due to his combination of athleticism and size, which made him capable of competing in the Big Ten from day one. As a freshman, he thrived as a slasher, shooting 56% in the paint and often capitalizing on lob opportunities when slipping behind defenders.
However, concerns about his shooting ability entering college proved valid during his first season. He ranked below the 10th percentile nationally in both catch-and-shoot and off-the-dribble situations. Roughly two-thirds of his shot attempts came from outside the paint, where he struggled—hitting just 33% from midrange and a mere 15% from beyond the arc. Those numbers highlight issues with both shot selection and shooting efficiency.
If Bryson Tucker is going to earn significant minutes this season, Coach Danny Sprinkle will need to ensure two things: Tucker spends the summer focused on improving his shot, and he understands that relying on midrange jumpers won’t cut it—otherwise, he’ll find himself on the bench. Indiana head coach Mike Woodson drove that point home last year, limiting Tucker to just 50 minutes of action over the Hoosiers’ final 14 games.
There’s optimism that Tucker can develop into a strong wing defender. He has the physical tools—size and athleticism—to succeed on that end, and his rebounding numbers last season closely matched those of Tyler Harris, a key contributor for the Huskies.
Washington didn’t have any players on the roster with college experience between 6’5” and 6’7” prior to adding Tucker, so he helps fill a positional and size need. The Huskies had been pursuing several top-tier small forwards, but Tucker’s commitment likely signals the end of those pursuits. If he’s the final addition from the transfer portal, Washington is expected to go with a three-guard starting lineup featuring Quimari Peterson, Koren Johnson Diallo, and Wesley Yates, with Tucker providing depth off the bench as a key wing defender.
Tucker’s arrival is also part of a larger vision by Sprinkle to build a talented young core. While the team brought in two veteran transfers—Peterson and Jacob Ognacevic—expected to play major roles, they’ve also added three rising sophomores in Tucker, Yates, and Lathan Somerville, all of whom played as freshmen in the Big Ten. That’s on top of a promising recruiting class that includes four four-star freshmen and a highly regarded international prospect.
In today’s college basketball landscape, retaining underclassmen who don’t play much early on is a challenge. But if the plan unfolds as hoped, Washington could return 5–6 players with meaningful experience heading into the 2026–27 season, laying the groundwork for a legitimate Big Ten contender.