Another Local Hoops Star coming home to play for the Dawgs!

[Michael K.]

This is getting interesting!

By Percy Allen
Seattle Times staff reporter
The Huskies hometown reunion continues as the Washington men’s basketball team received a commitment from PJ Fuller who starred at Nathan Hale and Garfield High.

Fuller, a 6-foot-4 guard played the past two seasons at TCU where he averaged 5.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists while starting 26 of 57 games. He shot 37.8% from the field and just 27.7% on three-pointers.

Due to NCAA giving 2020-21 student-athletes an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19, Fuller will have four years to complete three years of eligibility. He’s also immediately eligible to compete next season.


Fuller, who played his freshman season at Garfield, won a Class 3A state and national championship as a sophomore at Nathan Hale playing alongside Michael Porter Jr. The next year, Fuller followed Brandon Roy back to Garfield and helped the Bulldogs to a Class 4A state title.

As a senior, Fuller transferred to touted Findlay Prep in Nevada.

Fuller is the latest Seattle native to return home and transfer to Washington.

Following an unprecedented exodus of eight transfers, the migration to Montlake includes former Arizona transfer Terrell Brown Jr. and Stanford transfer Daejon Davis – a pair of former Garfield standouts – as well as Emmitt Matthews Jr., a West Virginia transfer who starred at Tacoma’s Wilson High.

The Huskies have also landed Olympia High star Jackson Grant, junior college forward Langston Wilson and forward Sam Ariyibi, a product of the NBA Africa Academy.

In just a few months, coach Mike Hopkins has revamped and replenished a depleted roster following last season’s dismal 5-21 performance and 11th-place Pac-12 finish at 4-16.

Washington appears to have one scholarship remaining and reportedly has been linked to Seattle native Marjon Beauchamp, who played with Fuller at Hale and Garfield to win a pair of state titles.

PROJECTED UW STARTING LINEUP
Here’s a look at the Huskies’ 2021-2022 roster
Projected UW starting lineup

PG – *Terrell Brown, Dominiq Penn
SG – *Daejon Davis, *PJ Fuller
SF – Jamal Bey, Cole Bajema, *Sam Ariyibi
PF – *Emmitt Matthews, *Jackson Grant
C – Nate Roberts, *Langston Wilson, Riley Sorn

*Newcomers / Returning starters in bold

The comings and goings on Montlake
Here’s a look at who the Huskies have lost and gained this offseason

In (7)............................................Out (8)
Sam Ariyibi (NBA Africa Academy)..........RaeQuan Battle (Montana)
Terrell Brown Jr. (Arizona)..................J’Raan Brooks (UC San Diego)
Daejon Davis (Stanford) .................Quade Green (graduated)
Jackson Grant (Olympia High) ...........Nate Pryor (NM State)
Emmitt Matthews Jr. (West Virginia) ....Travis Rice (graduated)
Langston Wilson (Georgia Highlands) ....Erik Stevenson (S.Carolina)
PJ Fuller (TCU) ...............................Marcus Tsohonis (VCU)
..................................................Hameir Wright (??)
Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or pallen@seattletimes.com; on Twitter: @percyallen. Seattle Times staff reporter Percy Allen covers the Washington Huskies and Seattle Storm.

[Sibelius Hindemith]

So another over-rated local kid comes home with his tail between his legs after struggling in far off lands. And somehow, coach Flop is going to turn these prodigal sons into a cohesive unit. This should be entertaining.

[Michael K.]

So another over-rated local kid comes home with his tail between his legs after struggling in far off lands. And somehow, coach Flop is going to turn these prodigal sons into a cohesive unit. This should be entertaining.

Come on man....for years all we heard was "all these local studs and we can't get them to play here". Now?

[Michael K.]

I will take all of these Local Boys coming home with their tails between their legs with something to prove over a bunch of one and doners that don't care if we win or lose, and fifty Hamer Head Wrights that don't give a squirt of piss about this team.

[Sibelius Hindemith]

There's something about the way high school basketball is coached in this area that produces a lot of undisciplined and mentally weak players. Yet they keep getting hyped by the scouts and recruiting sites which pumps up their egos so that they think they're too cool for the hometown school.

[Michael K.]

There's something about the way high school basketball is coached in this area that produces a lot of undisciplined and mentally weak players. Yet they keep getting hyped by the scouts and recruiting sites which pumps up their egos so that they think they're too cool for the hometown school.

Maybe they come back home and all get together and get it? I didn't get the impression the kid from Stanford was struggling.

[D-train]

Stanford kid is a good get. Hopefully this kid can shoot better at a non Christian non Texas school.

[57reasons]

Stanford kid is a good get. Hopefully this kid can shoot better at a non Christian non Texas school.

everyone only talks about the inner city kids. the one the Dawgs could really have used considering their dearth of perimeter shooting was Shoreline's Corey Kispert. not athletic enough for the Huskies i guess but fared pretty well under Few.

[D-train]

Stanford kid is a good get. Hopefully this kid can shoot better at a non Christian non Texas school.

everyone only talks about the inner city kids. the one the Dawgs could really have used considering their dearth of perimeter shooting was Shoreline's Corey Kispert. not athletic enough for the Huskies i guess but fared pretty well under Few.

Not athletic like Hammerhead Wright but shot 53% from the Floor and scored 19 a game. btw he shot 44% on threes this past season. Wright shot 34% from the Field in his career. F me.

[Michael K.]

Not athletic like Hammerhead Wright but shot 53% from the Floor and scored 19 a game. btw he shot 44% on threes this past season. Wright shot 34% from the Field in his career. F me.

Hammerhead is basketball’s Uncle Rico...woulda been great if not for the coach. That guy leaving was the best thing for us.