Assistant coach Saddi Washington joining Michigan State as assistant coach

The longest tenured member of the Michigan men’s basketball team’s staff will not return for the Wolverines’ 2024-25 season. 

On Thursday, news broke that assistant coach Saddi Washington is parting ways with Michigan. Washington isn’t going far, though, as he joins Michigan State’s staff as an assistant coach. Washington, who joined Michigan’s staff in 2016, was the only assistant coach within the Wolverines’ program prior to Howard’s arrival in 2019. 

Since Michigan coach Dusty May took over the Wolverines’ program March 23, he wasted no time rolling up his sleeves to begin the rebuilding process. For May, that starts with reshaping the coaching staff, bringing in two coaches he has previously worked with. Through the hirings of Mike Boynton Jr. and Akeem Miskdeen, Michigan’s coaching staff became quite crowded. Washington’s departure alleviates that to some extent.

After 10 years coaching at Oakland, Washington joined Michigan’s staff under former-coach John Beilein. Washington’s responsibilities for the Wolverines included coaching Michigan’s wings and coordinating defensive schemes.  

Upon Washington’s arrival at Michigan in 2016, the Wolverines prospered right away. An iconic Big Ten Tournament run highlighted his first season at Michigan. After the Wolverines endured a plane crash en route to the tournament, they went on to win four games in as many days and claim the 2017 Big Ten Tournament title. The following year, Michigan ran it back to become back-to-back Big Ten Tournament champions.

Throughout his tenure, Washington implemented a defensive strategy that led the Wolverines to success. In 2018, 2019 and 2021 Michigan ranked third, second and fourth, respectively, in defensive efficiency across all Division-I schools. However, this past season, the Wolverines struggled significantly on the defensive end. Their 182nd-ranked defensive efficiency certainly exemplifies that.

Working with Michigan’s wings, Washington notably helped develop several former Wolverines who went on to play in the NBA. Ignas Brazdeikis, Caleb Houstan and Isaiah Livers are a few notable players Washington worked with that later played in the NBA.

But with Michigan coach Dusty May’s arrival, a new set of assistant coaches joined the program as well, jeopardizing Washington’s place within the team. Given the struggles Michigan’s players had this year and the lack of growth throughout the season, May likely wanted a fresh start with a fresh coaching staff.

Washington’s help developing the Wolverines’ wings and defensive strategies may have been valuable in the past, but in the wake of the worst season in program history, that value has dissipated. And now, the once-longest tenured Michigan coach is working for its in-state rivals. 

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