Marquette coach Shaka Smart is going to be very active in the transfer portal yet again this year. One area in particular Smart is focusing on is bigs who can rebound.
Marquette had length this year with Kur Kuath and Oso Ighodaro, but neither are physical. Both were pushed around on the glass. Kuath is graduating and Marquette has little depth on the interior.
Enter the transfer portal. Shaka Smart and MU has reached out to numerous interior possibilities.
Post target: Warren Washington
One potential interior presence, Warren Washington, has Marquette on one of the teams he is ‘focusing on.’
Washington is a 7-foot center and averaged 10.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game at Nevada last year. The Golden Eagles are joined on Washington’s list by San Diego St., Arizona State, LSU, Arkansas, Notre Dame and Florida.
Nevada transfer Warren Washington tells us he is now focusing on:
Marquette
SDSU
Arizona State
LSU
Arkansas
Notre Dame
FloridaThe 7’0” big man averaged 10.5 points and 6.6 rebounds this year.
— Hoop Scoop Media™️ (@HoopScoopMedia) April 7, 2022
Washington averaged 1.2 blocks as well and impressively averaged double digit points and nearly six rebounds in just 23 minutes.
He has been at Nevada for two years after originally attending Oregon State. He averaged 10 points and 5,9 rebounds a season ago. There are no shortage of suitors looking for long, athletic big men. Smart is hoping to poach one to add to the mix of post players on the Golden Eagles. It may be difficult to get the California native from the West Coast to the Midwest, though.
Zach Wrightsil
Another target Marquette is looking at is Zach Wrightsil. Wrightsil was the NAIA Player of the Year for Loyola New Orleans.
Source: Loyola New Orleans (NAIA) grad transfer Zach Wrightsil will visit Marquette on April 14th.
Wrightsil was the NAIA Player of the Year.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 7, 2022
Smart is leaving no stone unturned. Wrightsil is coming to Marquette for a visit on April 14. From NAIA to the Big East would be a huge jump. Wrightsil, a 6-foot-7 guard/forward, averaged 18.7 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per game on 62 percent shooting. Wrightsil also averaged 3.6 assists and two steals per game leading Loyola to the NAIA Championship.
The Golden Eagles were a finalist for a coveted transfer, Noah Carter, of Northern Iowa. But Carter said Marquette was off the list and committed to Missouri today.
In the mix
Now, we can add Washington and Wrightsil to a long list of options Smart is looking to bring to Marquette.
It is clear Shaka Smart knows the Golden Eagles need some Big East-ready players in the portal. Well, he is going up against many suitors, it is exciting Marquette being in the mix for a number of talented players.
