Washington picks up commit from seven-footer Bryan Penn-Johnson

Mike Hopkins’ first class at Washington potentially got better on Monday upon the commitment of current Rivals150 center Bryan Penn-Johnson. One of the more intriguing available seniors this winter, Penn-Johnson is a developmental big man who completes Washington's 2018 class.

“I really believe in the coaching staff and what the program is doing," Penn-Johnson said. "We are going to do something great at UW. Hop (Mike Hopkins) told me that I could be a presence defensively in the 2-3 and also about how my length and athleticism is so important for what they do.”

Penn-Johnson, has the potential to develop into a high level shot blocker and he has done tremendous work at revamping and improving his body in recent years. He also sports the physical characteristics desired in big men prospects at the highest level as a 7-foot center with a near 7-foot-9 wingspan. That wingspan would be the second biggest in the NBA.Penn-Johnson had taken official visits to UW, DePaul and UCLA in the fall before waiting things out this winter. Patient with the process, the 7-footer came off the board Monday, cementing the Huskies’ frontline for years to come.

The key word with Penn-Johnson is potential. As of yet he has not been a highly productive player and was fairly light producer who came off the bench during his senior season at Wasatch Academy. Big men pick things up at different rates and Penn-Johnson is a long term roll of the dice based on the expectation that his production catches up to his physical tools with a college training table, weight room, repetition and coaching.

Washington’s second Rivals150 pledge, Penn-Johnson is a basketball adolescent relative to others in his class when it comes to experience. Penn-Johnson’s fit within the 2-3 zone that Hopkins brought to UW from his Syracuse days should be beneficial.

Penn-Johnson is joined in the frontcourt by Baltimore native Nate Roberts. On the perimeter, a contingent of Elijah Hardy, Ed Chang and Rivals150 shooting guard Jamal Bey should only improve the depth of UW’s roster as the Huskies attempt to build upon Hopkins' first year where he led the Huskies into the NIT.