Hannes Steinbach Is Leaving Washington For the NBA, and the Huskies' One-and-Done Era Continues

The Huskies are losing another generational freshman talent. Hannes Steinbach, the 6-foot-10 All-Big Ten forward who just wrapped up his first season at Washington, is declaring for the NBA draft, according to Draft Express. This kid was supposed to be the guy for at least two more years. Instead, he's following the well-worn path of UW phenoms heading straight to the pros after one brilliant year.

The Numbers Don't Lie: A Freshman Nobody Saw Coming

Steinbach averaged 18.5 points per game while shooting 57.7% from the field, 34.0% from three, and 75.9% from the free throw line. He went for 20 or more points in 16 of 30 games. His career high came against UCLA on December 13, 2025, when he dropped 29 points. But here's the thing that really separates him from the rest: the rebounding was absolutely elite. He led all of Division I with an 11.8 rebound average, and his 353 total boards rank seventh in UW history for a single season. That's insane for a true freshman.

Coach Danny Sprinkle put it perfectly: "He just has an innate ability to rebound the ball, and his feel for the game is just tremendous." Sprinkle admitted nobody, including him, expected Steinbach to perform at this level right away. "We thought we'd have him for at least two years," he said.

From Under the Radar to First-Round Locks

When Washington signed Steinbach last year, he was just another top European prospect. The German native was averaging 7.1 points and 5.5 rebounds for Wurzburg Baskets in the German Basketball Bundesliga. Then came last summer. Steinbach led Germany to a silver medal at the FIBA U19 World Cup, averaging 17.4 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks. He arrived at Washington already trending up, and he never stopped climbing.

His debut at Alaska Airlines Arena set the tone: 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting, plus seven rebounds and six assists in a 94-50 win over Arkansas Pine-Bluff. He battled a badly sprained ankle in the Washington State game and missed two and a half weeks, but he wanted back sooner. In his final home game, Steinbach went off for 22 points and a career-high 24 rebounds in a 91-72 victory against USC. He finished his college career with 25 points and 16 rebounds in an 85-82 Big Ten tournament loss to Wisconsin, setting a Big Ten freshman record with 22 double-doubles.

Steinbach is projected to be the first UW player taken in the draft since Isaiah Stewart and Jaden McDaniels went in 2020. He becomes the 10th player to leave a Huskies team that finished 16-17.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.