The UC men’s basketball program is in the midst of another transition, as the school welcomes in newly hired head coach Wes Miller to take the reigns. Miller formerly of UNC Greensboro, takes over for ousted former head coach John Brannen. Following two unremarkable seasons under Brannen, six Bearcats basketball players entered the transfer portal within a 36 hour period at the conclusion of last season. In addition to allegations of mistreatment/insensitivity towards players by Brannen, the team producing mediocre results on the floor made change inevitable for the program. I myself like many other UC alums, fans, and sports writers endorsed bringing in someone with direct former ties to lead the Cats’ back to respectability again. Candidates such as UC Athletics Hall of Famer Nick Van Exel came to mind, and UC grad/former player Erik Martin presently an assistant coach at West Virginia under UC all-time winningest head coach Bob Huggins topped alot of Bearcat Nation’s wishlists.
In the end the university decided to hire one of college basketball’s most highly coveted coaches under the age of 40, in Wes Miller to become UC’s 28th men’s basketball head coach in program history. Miller got to work right away convincing sophomore guards Mikey Saunders Jr. and Mason Madsen, to remove their names from the transfer portal and return to the program. He also hit the transfer portal hard himself brining in several players to replace the departing Tari Eason, Gabe Madsen and Zach Harvey who elected to still leave the program. However one can make an argument the two best moves Miller and athletic director John Cunningham made, were the additions of two former Bearcat players to the men’s basketball program staff. Former Cats’ forward Kyle Washington (2016-2017) was added as a graduate assistant, and former Cats’ superstar guard DerMarr Johnson (2000) was named director of player development. Two men who both definitely upon playing their final games on campus, did so when UC basketball was firing on all cylinders as an elite program. The pair is also both skilled and young enough to connect with current players.
Kyle Washington was recruited heavily by former UC head coach Mick Cronin out of high school, before ultimately deciding to sign with the NC State University Wolfpack over UC. However multiple factors led to Washington deciding to leave NC State after his sophomore season, this time he did decide to join Mick Cronin and the Cats’ for his final two seasons of eligibility. Washington fit in with the Cats’ right away during his junior season (2016-2017) displaying his contagious positive can-do attitude, and his well rounded game gave UC a devastating duo in the post along side former Cats’ forward Gary Clark. He started 35 of 36 games played averaging 12.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game as a junior. Washington added another stellar year as a senior starting 34 of 36 games averaging 11.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per contest. He was an important piece in helping lead the Cats’ to an American Athletic Conference Tournament Championship and a school record tying 31 wins on the season (31-5).
Washington went undrafted during the 2018 NBA Draft following his collegiate career at UC, but played professionally both overseas with Yalova Belediye in Turkey and the Boca Juniors in Argentina. He also had stints in the NBA G-League with the Windy City Bulls and Sioux Falls Skyforce, before returning to UC to accept his current graduate assistant position. Washington will be a valued asset both on and off the court for the current Cats’ players. He is a very skilled communicator, skills he perfected while earning his undergraduate degree in Communication at UC. Washington will look to aid the players and coaching staff while pursuing his master’s degree, in addition to learning his new desired career path as a basketball coach himself.
