Lapwai Legend Kase Wynott Returns Home, Signs with Idaho After WSU Transfer

One of Idaho's greatest high school basketball players is coming home. Kase Wynott, the state's all-time prep scoring leader and a former Washington State guard, has signed with the University of Idaho men's basketball program, head coach Alex Pribble announced Friday. The 6-foot-6 guard from Lapwai High is making his way back to the Gem State after two seasons with the Cougars.

Record-Breaking Prep Career at Lapwai

Wynott's accomplishments at Lapwai High, located on the Nez Perce Reservation east of Lewiston, are simply staggering. The guard holds Idaho's all-time high school scoring record with 2,962 career points and owns the single-game scoring mark with 68 points. During his legendary senior season in 2024, Wynott was named Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year after nearly averaging a triple-double: 36 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game for the Wildcats.

Wynott earned three state championships during his time at Lapwai, including two alongside current Vandals senior guard Titus Yearout. His skill set and production made him one of the most coveted recruits in the region, drawing interest from Washington, Idaho, Eastern Washington, and ultimately Utah State before he committed to Washington State.

Limited Impact at Washington State, Portal Move to Idaho

Despite his prep dominance, Wynott's time at Washington State proved limited. As a freshman, he appeared in 24 games, averaging just 1.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game. Last season, he saw action in only five games, averaging 4.0 points in 9.6 minutes per game. Wynott was one of 10 Cougar players who entered the transfer portal following WSU's disappointing 12-20 season.

"Kase is coming home," Pribble said in a statement. "He was a recruit we really prioritized when our staff first got here, so it's exciting to officially get him in a Vandal uniform."

The Idaho coach emphasized Wynott's elite scoring ability and versatile skill set. "We want the best players from Idaho to be in this program, and Kase is the all-time leading scorer from the state, so we're very excited," Pribble said. "He can really score the ball, he's got a diverse skill set, and he's a competitor. He'll make an immediate impact next year."

Vandals Building Through Portal

Wynott's signing is part of an aggressive recruiting push by Idaho, which won the Big Sky Conference Tournament and made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 36 years. The Vandals also signed Canadian prospect TJ Wal and California sharpshooter Nolan Newman-Gomez this week as the program looks to rebound from losing Big Sky Freshman of the Year Jackson Rasmussen to Oregon State.

With Wynott's arrival, the Vandals are reuniting a generational Lapwai talent with his home state program, hoping the prep scoring machine can finally show the impact in college basketball that his record-breaking high school career promised.

This article was created with AI assistance. Stats and results sourced from public records.