Jerone Morton's Kentucky Visit and Why Cougar Fans Knew He Was Too Good To Stay

Okay, so the college basketball transfer portal is wild, right? And listen up, because a familiar name, our very own Washington State guard Jerone Morton, is out there making some serious moves that should have everyone in the Emerald City buzzing. Jacob Polacheck over at KSR+ just confirmed it: Morton is slated to visit Kentucky this Friday! That's a huge deal, even if it means saying goodbye to a player who showed some serious flashes in Pullman.

From Morehead State Gem to Cougar Star

This isn't some fresh-faced rookie, folks. Morton, a central Kentucky native, kicked off his college career with two seasons at Morehead State before heading west to suit up for the Cougars in the West Coast Conference for the 2025-26 season. Think about that journey! As a freshman, he put up modest numbers, averaging 2.2 points and 1.3 rebounds in 12.9 minutes over 34 games. But then, BOOM! His sophomore year at Morehead, he blew up. He started 20 of 26 games, dropping 10.4 points, 3.4 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 29.5 minutes. His shooting splits jumped to a respectable 45.0/37.7/72.0. He even had 14 double-digit scoring games, including two 20-point bombs! That kind of production screams "next level," and that's exactly what he did, becoming the first portal addition for Coach David Riley at WSU.

His Wazzu Stats Speak Volumes

At Washington State, Morton started 29 of his 32 games in 2025-26, averaging 7.8

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points, 2.6 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 24.9 minutes. The shooting splits were solid: 43.8/38.8/82.0. He even dropped 16 points and 15 points in two matchups against Gonzaga, and a sneaky nine-point, nine-assist game against St. Mary's! But here's the kicker, the stuff that really makes you go "whoa." According to CBB Analytics, Morton graded out in the 85th percentile among all guards for his three-point shooting and an insane 88th percentile for his assist/turnover ratio of 2.22. He's a low usage guy at 16.6 percent, but man, he finds ways to score. Over 50 percent on his threes from the right side of the floor? And a 37 percent clip on 61 NBA-range triples? Yeah, the dude can shoot from deep. While his defensive metrics weren't as flashy, with a DRAPM of -3.4 (2nd percentile) and Defensive Win Shares of 0.03 (20th percentile), he's still a solid steals/blocks guy for a guard. His offensive rebounding impact was also better than his defensive. So, yeah, it's tough to see a talent like Morton potentially heading to Kentucky when he brought so much to our state's college hoops scene. But with one year of eligibility left, he's chasing that next big opportunity. DePaul, George Mason, and Texas A&M are also in the mix, so Kentucky definitely isn't a done deal. But one thing is clear: Jerone Morton proved he's a serious deep threat with a knack for making plays, and whatever team lands him is getting a proven scorer. Keep an eye on this one, Seattle. Our guys, even former Cougs, always make things interesting!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.