Eurotower Touchdown: Serbian Big Joins Husky Hoops
Alaska Airlines Arena is becoming a United Nations lounge, and the latest arrival is 6-foot-10 Serbian forward Nikola Dzepina, who will touch down in Seattle around December 10. UW coach Danny Sprinkle, freshly given the green light to talk about his prized foreign pickup, raved about Dzepina’s all-around offensive skill set—shooting, passing and one-on-one scoring. With a roster spot opened by a French big’s foot injury, the Huskies edged out other top programs and secured their 15th scholarship spot. Dzepina, already familiar with teammate Hannes Steinbach from a U19 World Cup matchup, should be ready for Big Ten action soon after arrival.
Fans rejoiced when they learned a new European was joining the Huskies, because who needs domestic talent when you can have someone who still thinks in metric? Sprinkle grinned as he declared, “He fits exactly what we were looking for,” conveniently ignoring that “we” is also the name of the checkpoint on his frequent-flyer account. Analysts predict Dzepina will bring international intrigue and exotic accent confusion to timeout huddles, plus an honest-to-goodness game of charades every time someone asks for “a pick and roll.” No doubt opposing coaches will have to Google “Dzepina” before the game starts, ensuring the real advantage goes to whoever remembers to charge their phone.
Freshman Lineman Goes from Pampers to Pancakes
At just 17, John Mills arrived at UW weighing 365 pounds and immediately slotted into the starting offensive-line rotation at left guard. Unlike predecessors who needed redshirt seasons or a few reserve snaps, Mills checked every box in coach Jedd Fisch’s “future NFL behemoth” checklist: physical maturity, dominating high-school matchups, and an insatiable hunger—both in the weight room and the dining hall. After starting five games before a leg injury sidelined him, he returned against Illinois, proving he’s on track to rival program legend Lincoln Kennedy in the years ahead.
Move over Superman; there’s a new boy wonder in Montlake. John Mills doesn’t just bench-press his homework—he probably ate it for breakfast. Fisch admitted he spotted Mills’s potential faster than most kids figure out how to unlock their dorm rooms. Rumor has it that Mills’ first words were “nutritional macros,” spoken while swaddled in an infant carrier. Expect future opponents to quake at the sight of this teen behemoth, unless they manage to distract him with cookies—his one true kryptonite.
Center-to-Tight End: Henning’s Jersey Swap Shocker
With tight end Quentin Moore sidelined by concussion protocol, backup center Zach Henning donned jersey No. 80 and played nearly a dozen snaps as a blocking tight end in UW’s 42-25 win over Illinois. Normally wearing No. 58, Henning’s 6-foot-5, 310-pound frame bolstered the edge, just as teammate Geirean Hatchett did in 2022. Though coaches acknowledged neither is a “natural” receiving threat, their athleticism sufficed to keep the Huskies’ two-TE packages intact amid injuries.
In a move that left statisticians gasping and jersey manufacturers broke, Henning delivered a performance straight out of “Gridiron Swapsies.” Fans half-expected to see him break out a shovel and start digging trenches mid-game. Coach Jedd Fisch praised his versatility, albeit while quietly Googling “how to teach catch drills to a 310-pound human convertible.” Opposing defenses were stunned—primarily because they had spent the week preparing for tight ends, not interior linemen moonlighting in oversized headsets. Next season: Henning at quarterback?
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