UW Basketball signs 6-7 French forward, could use him this season

Long before the advent of Gonzaga and its roster often comprised of foreign talent, University of Washington basketball relied on imported players, particularly big men from Germany and even Icelandic post players.

The late Marv Harshman used this approach to his advantage, building his Montlake teams around players like Detlef Schrempf, Christian Welp and Petur Gudmundsson, all of whom ended up in the NBA.

It appears first-year coach Danny Sprinkle also thinks this source of talent is mandatory.

On Saturday, the UW announced the signing of 6-foot-2 forward Dominique Diomande (19), who is currently French with African roots and, according to a school spokesman, will join the Huskies in January as a true freshman with four years of eligibility. He joined the UW in July.

Whether Diomande plays immediately or not still depends on Sprinkle’s coaching staff, who will decide whether that player can help immediately as a late starter or redshirt. He also handles procedural matters such as meeting academic requirements and applying for a visa.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dom to our Husky basketball family and the University of Washington,” Sprinkle said in a press release.

Diomande has a great reputation as a basketball player. Although he doesn’t appear to be eligible for the NBA Draft until 2027, he was selected as a top 50 prospect by DraftExpress.com and named one of 11 “Under the Radar Freshmen with NBA Potential” by NBADraftRoom.com.

Diomande’s immediate availability would give UW three international players at the helm, joining 6-foot-2 senior Great Oobor, the team’s leading scorer (14 points per game) and rebounder (8.6). England praises and 1.80 meter tall -11 senior Franck Kepnang from Cameroon in Africa, who is now trying to get back on his feet after injury.

For the 2025-26 season, the Huskies want to have two Frenchmen side by side, with Diomande teaming up with the 6-foot-2 Mady Traore, who signed with Sprinkle’s team and is currently playing for a Texas junior college after previous seasons at Maryland spent and New Mexico State. There is also the 1.90 meter tall Serbian-American Niko Bundalo, a new newcomer for next season.