Washington State Men's Basketball: Transfer Portal Roundup Ahead of 2025-2026

Much like their Pac-12 counterpart in Corvallis, Washington State men's basketball has seen their roster decimated this offseason. Through a combination of transfer exits and seniors who have used up their eligibility, head coach David Riley will be tasked with basically rebuilding an entire team in his first season with the Cougs. 

Departures

G Cedric Coward, G Nate Calmese, F LeJuan Watts, F Ethan Price, F Dane Erikstrup, G Isaiah Watts, G Marcus Wilson

Calling this a tough break would be an understatement. G Nate Calmese, F LeJuan Watts, F Ethan Price, G Isaiah Watts and F Dane Erikstrup made up Washington State's starting five last seasons. Cedric Coward, who suffered an injury early last season and has already left the school, will likely hear his name called in the NBA draft. With their top six leading scorers all having departed, who is left to pick up the slack? 

Returners

F ND Okafor, F Rihards Vavers, G Tomas Thrastarson, G Parker Gerrits, G Kase Wynott, G Tayon Sessoms

With three years of eligibility remaining, Tomas Thrastarson possibly has the biggest upside of all returners. As a freshman last year, the Icelandic guard shot 41.4% from beyond the arc on 29 attempted three pointers, averaging 20 minutes a game. Standing at 6'6", Thrastarson has the frame to potentially play as a small forward/shooting guard combo. Latvian guard Rihards Vavers also made a decent impact off the bench, averaging 5.6 points and shooting nearly 50% from downtown. These returning perimeter shooting threats could be important in helping Washington State's offense stretch the floor next season. 

Irish forward ND Okafor is another noteable returning piece, averaging 5.6 points and 1.3 blocks per game as a junior. With the departure of Erikstrup and Price, Okafor will likely see an increased role for the Cougars this season. 

New Additions

Jerone Morton, Eemeli Yalaho, Emmanuel Ugbo, Simon Hildebrandt, Brunel Madzou, Aaron Glass, Dio Blakely, Dominik Robinson

Perhaps the most intriguing addition to the team is Boise State transfer Emmanuel Ugbo, who missed the entirety of last year's regular season due to undisclosed reasons. Ugbo finally suited up for the first time in the conference tournament semifinal against New Mexico, where he posted 17 points and three blocks. While it's a small sample size, this performance instills hope that the 6'8" Dutchman could be a scoring weapon in 2025-26.

Junior guard Jerone Morton looks to be another one of the key transfers that David Riley has brought in. Someone who plays like a traditional point guard, Morton averaged 10.4 points and led Morehead State in assists with 3.4 per game. 

Washington State will also be hoping that Texas Tech transfer Eemeli Yalaho and High Point transfer Simon Hildebrandt, who played on the Panthers' tournament team last season, will be significant contributors. In addition, the Cougs are also adding a handful of high school recruits to the roster. With so few players returning from last year's team, there is no telling who might end up seeing a lot of the floor this coming season.