Washington Frosh Abdul Gaddy Finally Flashes Hints of His Potential

Gaddy: He's getting better all the time

Husky fans have been waiting all season for Abdul Gaddy to show the talent that made him one of the biggest Lorenzo Romar recruits ever.

Gaddy was the second-best point guard recruit in his class, according to Scout.com. Pro hoops scouting site DraftExpress projects Gaddy as the third-overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

But up until Sunday night, Gaddy looked like your average true freshman point guard. He was tentative on offense, a step slow on defense, not in the flow of the game. He bottomed out against Texas Tech, playing just ten minutes and picking up four fouls. He missed his only shot, going scoreless for the second consecutive game.

We saw a different Gaddy yesterday in UW's 88-76 win over Cal State Northridge. Gaddy scored eleven points in 21 minutes--his final field goal compelling the fan in front of me to exult: "Double figures! He made double figures!" The offense seemed to flow better with Gaddy in the game, with some creative passes opening opportunities for his teammates.

"You saw a glimpse of his potential," Quincy Pondexter told reporters after the game. "He's going to be a professional basketball player after this level. He played great tonight. He got in the lane. He can go wherever he wants with the ball. He's just a terrific player and he's real young. The sky's the limit for that kid."

One game does not a season make, especially against a minor-conference opponent like the Matadors. (Why the Matadors? Is Northridge, CA, the hub of American bullfighting or something?) I'll be curious to see if Gaddy continues the upward trajectory Saturday, when the Dawgs play Georgetown in the John Wooden Classic.