While Diomande, 19, could prove to be a Christmas gift for Sprinkle and his rebuilding program, no one is putting a savior label on him. He might even redshirt. The Huskies need to get this international player into Montlake and see where his game is at, if not how much adjustment he needs.

No one is saying it, but 12 games into the season, this UW program is geared more for the future rather than the present. Sprinkle mostly has a bunch of journeymen transfers who don’t play very well together and don’t always play with a sense of urgency, and it’s more than likely going to be a long season that isn’t going to offer huge rewards.

Meantime, Sprinkle has revealed five newly signed players, including Diomande, who will be the cornerstone of Husky basketball going forward in the future, each with heady basketball credentials.

Diomande publicly committed to the UW back in July and it’s unclear why he didn’t begin the season with the team, though with international players there’s always plenty of red tape to sort through before they can become eligible.

With every one of the Huskies’ 13 scholarships spoken for, Diomande initially will join the team as a walk-on player, a school spokesperson said. His resume seems to suggest he will provide plenty of skill. There’s certainly opportunity in Montlake for someone to showcase talents such as his.

“He can shoot it, but he’s really good slashing the ball,” Sprinkle said of the newcomer. “He’s played at really a high level, at the pro level in France, and put up good numbers. His athleticism and just kind of his quickness is just what we’re lacking.”

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