Washington Huskies men losing JJ Mandaquit to transfer portal, reports say

Before the NCAA transfer portal opens next week, JJ Mandaquit is the latest to announce he plans to leave the Washington men’s basketball team, according to several published reports.

His departure is a stunning blow to the Huskies considering coach Danny Sprinkle often touted Mandaquit, a 6-foot-1 point guard from Hilo, Hawaiʻi, who played three seasons at Utah Prep in Hurricane, Utah, as the future of the UW program.

“His playmaking and the way he runs a team is as good as I’ve ever seen for a freshman,” Sprinkle said last October at Big Ten Media Day. “It’s next level for someone so young. Just his basketball IQ, that’s what’s most impressive. He has an awareness of what needs to happen and who needs the ball.

“He impacts winning and he doesn’t necessarily have to score a lot. … So, yeah I’m excited about him. He’s going to be a great Husky.”

Mandaquit arrived at Washington amid much fanfare after winning his third gold medal with Team USA at the 2025 U19 FIBA World Cup last June in Lausanne, Switzerland

He started the first five games before moving to the bench in the next 14 outings. In October, Mandaquit initially hurt his foot and re-aggravated the injury during a Jan. 29 game. Two days later, his season abruptly ended after a nine-minute appearance on Jan. 31 and he missed the final 11 games.

Mandaquit underwent surgery in February in New York and will need another procedure this summer, Sprinkle said.

In 22 games, including six as a starter, Mandaquit averaged 5.2 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.2 turnovers while shooting 43.5% from the field and 28.2% on three-pointers.

After a six-game stretch when he averaged just 2.0 points, Mandaquit scored a career-high 15 points during an 82-72 loss to Michigan on Jan. 14.

“I needed to be a spark plug,” he said. “I needed to come in and just rally the troops, make sure that we’re connected and instill confidence in the guys that we’re right here with one of the best teams in the country.”

A year ago, Mandaquit was the centerpiece of UW’s highly touted recruiting class that included Hannes Steinbach, Jasir Rencher and Courtland Muldrew, which ranked 15^th nationally and first in the Big Ten, according to 247Sports.

Mandaquit, the No. 74th ranked overall recruit and No. 10 point guard nationally, was the 14^th highest rated recruit to ever sign with Washington based on 247Sports composite rankings. His had scholarship offers from USC, Louisville, BYU, Creighton and California.

Washington’s freshmen class is in shambles now.

Muldrew, who announced he’s entering the portal, and Mandaquit are poised to transfer. Steinbach is considered a first-round pick in this summer’s NBA draft and is expected to turn pro, while Rencher missed most of the season because of a heart condition.

Meanwhile, Nikola Dzepina, who arrived in December, is the only other scholarship freshman on the team.

There are nine scholarship players on the roster including Zoom Diallo, Wesley Yates III, Franck Kepnang, Lathan Sommerville, Bryson Tucker, Mady Traore, Steinbach, Rencher and Dzepina. The roster limit for Division I teams is 15.

The transfer portal opens Tuesday and closes April 21.