Chaminade Julienne grad enters transfer portal after one season at Michigan

“I want to thank Wolverine nation for the support and great moments over this past year,” Washington wrote on social media. “Coach Howard and staff, thank you for providing me with the opportunity to wear the blue and maize! The time I’ve spent with my brothers and coaches has been set in stone in my story forever.”

Washington was the 2023 Gatorade Ohio Basketball Player of the Year and OHSBCA and OPSWA Division II Player of the Year when he averaged 24 points, four rebounds and three assists per game for the Eagles, who advanced to the state final four.

He led the GCL Co-Ed in scoring and had 22 games with at least 20 points along with eight 30-point games.

A Houston, Texas, native, he originally committed to Ohio State before reopening his recruitment prior to his senior season.

A four-star prospect, Washington was the No. 95 player in the country and ranked fourth in Ohio in 247Sports Composite rankings.

He played 22 games off the bench last season for Michigan, totaling 26 points and seven rebounds in 145 minutes (6.6 per game).

Washington’s decision follows the university firing Juwan Howard, who went 82-67 in five seasons as head coach of his alma mater.

Howard led the Wolverines to the 2021 Big Ten championship and made the Elite Eight that season but oversaw a precipitous decline after that, including a last-place showing this season.

Michigan announced Sunday that Dusty May, who led Florida Atlantic to the Final Four last season and was reportedly a finalist for the Ohio State head coaching position that ultimately went to Jake Diebler, will replaced Howard.

Washington is at least the fifth local basketball player to be known to be entering the portal this month.

A.J. Braun, a Fenwick grad who has started for three seasons on the front line at Wright State, is in the portal along with WSU teammate Dayjuan Anderson, a Ponitz product who redshirted as a freshman last season.

Also looking for a new home is Wayne grad Prophet Johnson, a 6-3 guard who started 12 of 27 games at Southern Utah last season.

Centerville grad Kendal George announced Sunday night she is entering the portal after one season at Tennessee-Martin, where she scored 11 points in 49 minutes last season.