Ed Chang Decommits from Washington

Garfield High forward Ed Chang announced this afternoon that he is decommitting from the University of Washington. The 6’7 Chang is a 3-star and the #282 recruit in the country according to 247’s composite rankings.

Chang was Washington’s first recruit in the 2018 class last summer when he was the #1 ranked player in the state of Nebraska. Things only got weirder from there. Chang moved to Seattle to play at Garfield high under Brandon Roy for the season which seemed like it would acclimate him to the city where he would attend college. But Chang was apparently not eligible after transferring in and didn’t play as Garfield went on to win the state championship without him.

After Chang didn’t sign during the fall signing period rumors abounded that he would need to reclassify to 2019 in order to get his academics in order. Chang never confirmed that and was frequently seen sitting behind the UW bench at home games. However, when he didn’t sign yesterday on the first day of the spring signing period it was further indication that he would not end up at UW in the fall.

Chang removed all doubt by backing away from his previous commitment. He does indicate that he will still be considering Washington so it’s still possible that he spends next year at a prep school and still comes to Seattle. But it definitely won’t be this fall.

Chang is a lanky wing player who has a great physical profile to play the corners in Hopkins’s zone scheme. There currently isn’t another player quite like him in the class as Elijah Hardy is a point guard, Jamal Bey would ideally take Matisse Thybulle’s role, and Nate Roberts and Bryan Penn-Johnson are both centers.

With the recent transfers there is now one completely unspoken for available scholarship for 2018. The Huskies will certainly explore the available options and without a glaring hole to fill on the roster they can be patient to wait for the right opportunity whether it be a late decommitment, someone reclassifying into 2018, or an undergraduate transfer. Whatever happens with that scholarship don’t expect it to be filled in the immediate future.

EDIT: Ed Chang announced that he has committed to San Diego State.

***

You can follow me @UWDP_maxvroom for all your Husky men’s basketball news and notes