ESPN 100 senior Niko Bundalo has committed to Washington, he told ESPN, giving the Huskies their second top-50 pledge this month.
Bundalo's commitment ends one of the more tortuous recruitments in the 2025 class. He had trimmed his list to four schools in October, with North Carolina, UConn, Ohio State and Michigan remaining, already taking official visits to each of his finalists. Right before cutting his list, he set a Kentucky visit and then canceled it three days later.
Within weeks, he was no longer considering any of his finalists and completely restarted his recruitment.
"I thought I was finished with my recruitment when I narrowed my list to a final four," Bundalo said. "Then schools got commitments, and I was not ready and then the season started, so I had to start over. When Washington heard I was reopening my commitment they jumped right in, and they have been great."
Bundalo quickly developed a relationship with the Washington staff, particularly coach Danny Sprinkle and assistant coach Gib Arnold.
"Assistant coach Gib Arnold took the time to not only recruit me, but he got to know my family. That was really important to me," Bundalo said. "Coach Sprinkle and I connected and have been talking regularly. They have a high usage rate for their four-men and their plan is to use my versatility. I am super impressed with what he did at Utah State."
A 6-foot-10 forward who plays at Prolific Prep (California), Bundalo is ranked No. 25 in the ESPN 100, the No. 5 power forward in the country. In 12 games with Wildcat Select on the Adidas 3SSB circuit last spring, he averaged 14.5 points and 5.8 rebounds, shooting nearly 35% from 3-point range.
Bundalo has a 7-foot wingspan and an advanced skill set. The smooth lefty is a legitimate threat behind the arc and possesses great versatility with excellent mobility and an ability to run the floor. What stands out about his game is his size and skill. His ball handling, passing, shooting and ability to drive and make plays off the bounce give him huge upside. Bundalo also has high-end athleticism and explosive leaping ability.
He's the third commitment for Sprinkle in the 2025 class, and the second top-50 recruit for Washington in the last few weeks. Earlier this month, J.J. Mandaquit committed to the Huskies.
"Playing with J.J. Mandaquit will be a lot of fun," Bundalo said. "I have played with him and against him at various times. He amplifies the players around him by how he creates for everyone."