Since top star joined the Washington men’s basketball team as a walk-on in December, head coach Danny Sprinkle has consistently downplayed expectations surrounding the international prospect. Despite fan enthusiasm, Sprinkle has remained cautious about when—if ever—the 19-year-old forward would make his Huskies debut this season.
Sprinkle provided his clearest stance yet, essentially ruling out star playing this year. “Probably not this season the way it’s looking right now,” Sprinkle said. “Just getting integrated, I wouldn’t expect him to play because it’d be too risky this late in the season to kind of burn a redshirt. I don’t know if it’s fair to the program or the kid.”
Standing at 6-foot-7, Diomande is considered a 2026 NBA Draft prospect, and many initially believed he could immediately strengthen Washington’s thin frontcourt. However, with the Huskies battling for a spot in the Big Ten Tournament and just six regular-season games remaining, Sprinkle appears reluctant to shake up the lineup.
“I know everybody wants to see him, but I got to be fair to him and fair to the team,” Sprinkle said last week. “At the end of the day, he’s got to earn it. I don’t care who it is. I don’t care if LeBron James is here, you got to come and earn it, then you’re going to play.”
Diomande last played during the 2023-24 season in France’s Pro A U21 league, averaging 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 51.9% from the field.
Meanwhile, fifth-year guard Luis Kortright, who has missed Washington’s past three games due to a team suspension, will remain out for Wednesday’s matchup against Rutgers. Sprinkle plans to meet with Kortright later in the week to discuss his status.