One of the many European stars to come to the United States to play college ball, Washington’s Hannes Steinbach has quite simply been a double-double machine. The 6-foot-11 center was the centerpiece for the Huskies as a freshman. He was expected to deliver early and often, and he has certainly played his way up the 2026 NBA Draft board. Let’s take a look at how Steinbach stacks up.
Hannes Steinbach 2026 NBA Draft Profile
Mar 7, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Washington Huskies forward Hannes Steinbach (6) dribbles the ball after a rebound during the second half against the Oregon Ducks at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
College Career
Steinbach made the journey from his native Germany to play college ball for Washington. Much like another former German star of the past, Detlef Schrempf. Hannes comes from the same build as the 1990’s star. He’s a tough player at both ends of the floor. That was proven throughout the 2025-26 season. In his collegiate debut, Steinbach finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.
That began a massive push for Steinbach, making headlines. Steinbach not only led Washington in scoring this season, but he was also the top rebounder, both for the Huskies and in the Big Ten. 18.5 points and 11.8 rebounds a game certainly earned honors in the conference. He was named both to the Big Ten All-Freshman team and was Third-Team All-Big Ten. He put on two strong games in Washington’s two games at the Big Ten Tournament, as he finished with a double-double in both.
In a close three-point loss to Wisconsin in the second-round, Steinbach really showcased his all-around game. He finished with 25 points, 16 rebounds, two assists, a steal, and three blocks. Too bad he ins’t going to see the NCAA Tournament, but he nonetheless proved to be a star in the Big Ten. Not to mention, Steinbach has proven he’s ready for the next level now.
Strengths
Offense
When you look at Steinbach, you can already tell he has a big presence on the floor. That’s exactly what you get. Sure, he’s a big rebounder, but he can be a real force in the post. He has the tools for a center you need in the NBA, to be physical against other bigs of all sizes. His frame is mature, and he has the strength to both absorb contact and finish through contact. He has good hands and a soft touch around the hoop. That’s exactly what you want in post-player.
His pick and roll awareness is very impressive, as he can make quick decisions. Not to mention, Steinbach gives it his all running the floor. Some of the bigs who come into college and play one season don’t always have their footwork down, but that isn’t the case with Steinbach.
Defense
Just looking at Steinbach, you can tell he’s going to be a tough player to box out. That’s exactly the case. He’s a rebounding monster. He led the Big Ten in rebounding at 11.8 per game, and the Big Ten has plenty of other great rebounders, like Michigan State’s Jaxon Kohler, Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr, Yaxel Lendeborg, or Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn, just for comparison.
Shots go up, and more often than not, Steinbach will come down with a rebound. Not only that, but Steinbach is going to wall up defensively, rather than chasing blocks. That’s not to say he can’t protect the rim. Steinbach also communicates well and has shown he can be the guy to lead the team on defense. He won’t shy away from centers of various sizes.
Weaknesses
Offense
Mar 4, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies forward Hannes Steinbach (6) blocks out Southern California Trojans forward Ezra Ausar (2) during the second half at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Obviously, basketball is a shooting league, so Steinbach needs to work on his outside game. It’s not to say he can’t knock down the deep shot. He shot 34 percent from deep, making 18 of 53 attempts. You would like to see him step out more. He’s got all the inside game he needs, scoring the ball, but once he develops that outside shot, boy, defenders will be in trouble.
Not only does his three-point shooting need more work, but he also needs to polish his game in face-up and mid-range shots. Steinbach isn’t going to be a flashy scorer, but he does everything the right way and can help those around him.
Defense
For as strong as he is down low, at the defensive end, stretching him beyond the arch is a big concern. Steinbach doesn’t have the lateral quickness to guard far quicker ball-handlers. So he’s not quite a guard-all-five-positions kind of player. That’s not to say he can’t improve.
Steinbach can lose his balance when defending drives to the basket. Thus, he can be a bit of a liability on switches in that situation. He is not a lockdown defender by any stretch, but will do his part to the best of his ability.
Shot blocking is also a bit of a weakness. He had 37 blocks this season, which was second on the Huskies. Thus, he’s more of a secondary rim protector in that regard. Steinbach won’t be the focal point at protecting the rim.
NBA Comparison
Watching Steinbach’s game, you can certainly compare him to a handful of bigs throughout the NBA. But there are a couple that really stand out. Ironically, fellow countryman Moritz Wagner comes to mind. Wagner is skilled, plays physically just like Hannes, and has offensive versatility.
If Steinbach can develop more of his outside game, then he could compare nicely to Domantas Sabonis. Right now, he has the rebounding instincts of a Sabonis, by far. If he develops his three-point shooting, boy, Hannes has a real chance to grow beyond just a first guy of the bench post player.
2026 NBA Draft Projection
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images