After surprisingly entering the transfer portal last week, Wesley Yates III has a new home. And by new home, we mean the same as his old home: Washington.
On Wednesday, the guard announced that he will return to Seattle in 2025-2026. Yates III redshirted with the Huskies in 2023-2024 before spending this past season at USC. With the Trojans this year, Yates III made 24 starts, averaging 14.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.
Yates' play as a redshirt freshman this season gave USC hope for the future of the program under Eric Musselman. Hence, his departure was a brutal blow to the program, and one that the Trojans will be forced to adapt to recover from.
The fact that Yates returned to Washington shortly after Quincy Pondexter -- a relative of Yates -- stepped away from the USC coaching staff will lead to a lot of speculation and some hard feelings at USC. Musselman thought he was getting an elite recruiter for the long haul with Pondexter. Not only did that not happen, but this transfer undercut the Trojans' roster development project for next season. It's a brutal turn of events.
Meanwhile, getting Yates back is a big boost for a Washington program in desperate need of one. After finishing in last place in the Big Ten this year, the Huskies are looking to build momentum heading into year two under head coach Danny Sprinkle.
While next season's schedule has not yet been announced, USC and Washington will presumably face off twice again next season, meaning that Yates will likely make his return to Galen Center at some point.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Former USC guard Wesley Yates III commits to Washington
