2016-17 Penn State Basketball Player Preview: Isaiah Washington

Williamsport product Isaiah Washington verbally committed to Penn State on April Fools’ Day of 2012, when he was still a sophomore in high school. Isaiah’s commitment however, was no laughing matter, as the 6’4” combo guard never wavered from his pledge to play for Pat Chambers, officially joining the team in the Summer of 2014. In his two years in Happy Valley thus far, the redshirt sophomore guard has come off the bench to provide some depth in the backcourt and more importantly, to spell starters such as Shep Garner some much-needed rest.

Last Year

After redshirting in 2014-15 due to injuries, Isaiah saw action in 28 of PSU’s 32 games, including the final 16 games. While playing an average of 12 minutes per game last year, Isaiah averaged 2.7 points per game, including 5.2 ppg over the final six games of the season. His best performance was quite fittingly saved for PSU’s stunning upset win at home over Iowa, where Isaiah scored 9 points, including 6 for 6 from the free-throw line, grabbed five rebounds, and racked up two assists and two steals, all career-highs.

Role For 2016-17

Expect ‘Zay’ to continue to be a key part of the rotation coming off the bench. Time will tell if he sees more action than he did last year, but being a third-year player on a team completely devoid of seniors will mean that he will be expected to take on more of a leadership role within the program, especially when it comes to guiding the rookies. His athleticism and ability to knock down a few shots (especially at the free throw line) should make him somebody that Pat Chambers won’t hesitate to use in order to give one of his starters a breather.