Washington Huskies men lose Zoom Diallo to transfer portal

April 3, 2026 Updated Fri., April 3, 2026 at 7:12 p.m.

Zoom Diallo (5) celebrates with his UW teammates during a March 12 game against the Wisconsin Badgers in the third round of the Big Ten Tournament at the United Center in Chicago. (Getty Images)

By Percy Allen Seattle Times

Zoom Diallo dropped a bombshell on the Washington men’s basketball when he announced plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal next week.

“After much thought and prayer, I’ve decided to do what’s best for my future and my family,” he posted on his social media account Friday afternoon. “I will be entering the transfer portal while still keeping the option open to return to Washington.”

The 6-foot-4 sophomore guard from Tacoma averaged 13.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists while starting 51 of 64 games at Washington.

Last year, when the UW program appeared adrift after losing 12 players, including seven to the portal, Diallo helped stabilize the situation and was one of two players who returned following a 13-18 finish in coach Danny Sprinkle’s first season with the Huskies.

Last season, he was second among the Huskies in points (15.7 per game), first in assists (4.5) and third in rebounding (3.9) while starting 29 of 33 games. He shot 48.9% from the field, 31.5% on three-pointers and 82.5% on free throws.

“I’m really proud of Zoom and the way he’s stepped up,” Sprinkle said after Diallo scored a career-high 26 points during Washington’s 91-72 win over USC on March 4. “He has. I’ve put a lot on his plate because I’ve had to. We just haven’t had the numbers. We’re asking a lot out of him and he’s been phenomenal.

“Growing up, it was always a dream of mine to play for UW. Being able to wear ‘Washington’ across my chest is something I’ll never take for granted,” said Diallo, who played three years Curtis High in University Place before transferring to powerhouse Prolific Prep in California. “I want to thank the University of Washington for the opportunity. I’m thankful for all the memories and relationships I built during my time here. I especially appreciate Coach Sprinkle for believing in me and helping me grow on and off the court.

“To my teammates over the last two years, thank you for everything. The bond we built means a lot to me, and that’s something I’ll carry with me forever. And to the fans and the Seattle community, thank you for always showing love to a hometown kid and sticking with me through the ups and downs. I’m forever grateful, for real.”

Diallo is the third Husky to announce he’s entering the portal following freshmen guards Courtland Muldrew and JJ Mandaquit.

Diallo chose UW over Gonzaga, USC and Arizona when he narrowed his list of finalists in 2023.

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