Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Classifieds | seattletimes.com

The Seattle Times

Huskies


Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced

Originally published October 28, 2008 at 12:00 AM | Page modified October 29, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Comments (0)     E-mail article     Print view

Abdul Gaddy to sign with Huskies basketball

Bellarmine Prep star was going to play for Arizona until health issues forced coach Lute Olson to retire

Seattle Times staff reporter

Arizona's loss became Washington's gain Tuesday night as guard Abdul Gaddy of Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma, the highest-rated recruit in the state, announced he will sign a letter-of-intent next month to play basketball for the Huskies.

The 6-3, 170-pound Gaddy, rated by Scout.com as the No. 2 point guard in the nation, had previously committed to Arizona. But he reopened his recruitment last week when Arizona coach Lute Olson announced his retirement for health reasons.

Gaddy's father, Abdul Gaddy Sr., said Tuesday night his son was worried about the "inconsistencies" of the coaching situation at Arizona, which he said had been his dream school for years.

Once Arizona was no longer in the picture, Gaddy again seriously considered UW along with UCLA, which he had also visited.

"We came back to the drawing board and (UW) coach (Lorenzo) Romar has always been there," Gaddy Sr. said. "He's followed him since he was a freshman in highs school. And it will be a great opportunity to play in front of family and friends. It was just kind of a no-brainer at the end."

Gaddy will sign a letter with UW during the early signing period, which begins Nov. 12.

His commitment is a coup for the Huskies, who already had three commitments but were in danger of missing out on the top players in the state, such as Gaddy's Bellarmine Prep teammate Avery Bradley (Texas) and Franklin's Peyton Siva (Louisville).

UW's other commitments are from guard C.J. Wilcox of Provo, Utah; center Charles Garcia Jr., of Riverside (Calif.) CC; and forward Clarence Trent, formerly of Gig Harbor and now playing at a prep school in North Carolina.

The Huskies had just one scholarship left to give before Gaddy's commitment.

Gaddy averaged 23 points a game last season for Bellarmine and won the Gatorade Washington Boys Basketball Player of the Year Award after leading the Lions to a third-place finish at the state 4A Tournament.

He will turn 17 in January and Gaddy Sr. noted that his son has to stay in college for at least two years before considering the NBA due to the league's new age requirements.

"He's not going to be a one-and-done kid," Gaddy Sr. said. "So he's excited to go play there and have that opportunity to have a degree. This will be an opportunity to spread his wings a little bit but not be too far away."

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

More Huskies headlines...

E-mail article Print view      Share:    Digg     Newsvine

Comments
No comments have been posted to this article.

advertising

NEW - 03:45 PM
Huskies no match for Oregon State, fall 48-21

Multidimensional Beavers tough to stop for Huskies

Washington men's basketball opens season with victory

NW Briefs: NW Briefs: Washington volleyball falls at USC

UW Soccer | Washington women's soccer wins NCAA tourney opener

Advertising

Video

Opening day at Crystal Mountain
Skiers crowded the slopes at Crystal Mountain for one of the resort's earliest openings.

Video shows violent arrest by SPD
Fort Lewis Memorial
Highlights: Ken Auletta talks about "Googled"
Seattle International Cabaret Festival
Ken Auletta talks about "Googled"
Medal of Honor
Pelosi answers questions at Swedish Medical Center
Pelosi speaks at Swedish Medical Center
"Pistol" Pete Ryan

Marketplace

nwautos

2009's most fuel-efficient sedansnew
Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment

Open Houses

Find this weekend's open house listings.
Or search by location:

 
Most read
Most commented
Most e-mailed
 
 
Advertising