Jerone Morton's Kentucky Visit: Wazzu Fans, This Is a Gut Punch For Your Sharpshooter
Alright, Emerald City, listen up. We got some news outta Pullman that’s gonna sting, especially if you’re pulling for our state’s college hoops. Washington State guard Jerone Morton, a dude who's been dropping buckets for the Cougs, is hitting the transfer portal hard. And get this: he’s scheduled to visit Kentucky this Friday. Jacob Polacheck of KSR+ confirmed it, and for anyone watching Wazzu ball, this is a legit seismic shift. With only one year of eligibility left, Morton is looking for his next landing spot, and the state of Washington might be losing a serious talent.
From Small School Star to Cougar Contributor
Morton's journey has been wild. This central Kentucky native started his college career at Morehead State for two seasons before heading west to play for our very own Cougars in the West Coast Conference in 2025-26. Before all that, he was a legit high school star at George Rogers Clark in Kentucky, leading them to a Sweet 16 championship in 2022 where he was named MVP! He averaged 19.8 points and 6.6 boards on 52.4 percent shooting his senior year. He was lightly recruited out of high school, landing at Morehead. His freshman year in 2023-24 was quiet, just 2.2 points in 12.9 minutes, but sophomore year? BOOM. He started 20 of 26 games, boosted his numbers to 10.4 points, 3.4 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 steals. His shooting splits jumped to a solid 45.0/37.7/72.0! He had 14 double-digit scoring games, even a couple of 20-point bombs. He even dropped 18 points, seven assists, and four rebounds in an overtime win against UT Martin. Talk about stepping up!
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What He Brought to Pullman, and What's on the Table
New WSU head coach David Riley snagged Morton from the portal last offseason, choosing the Cougars over Marshall, Western Kentucky, and Indiana State. It felt like a win for the state. And Morton delivered! He started 29 of 32 games for WSU in 2025-26, averaging 7.8 points, 2.6 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 24.9 minutes. His shooting splits were still strong: 43.8/38.8/82.0. He dropped 16 and 15 points against Gonzaga, plus a nine-point, nine-assist game against St. Mary's. This player can fill it up! The advanced stats confirm it: he was in the 85th percentile for three-point shooting and 88th percentile for assist/turnover ratio at 2.22, per CBB Analytics. He shot over 50 percent from the right side on threes and 37 percent on 61 NBA-range triples. He’s a low-usage guy but gets points. His defense wasn't his strong suit, with a DRAPM of -3.4 and Defensive Win Shares of 0.03, ranking in the 2nd and 20th percentile. But you can't deny his offensive punch.
So, with Kentucky calling, and other programs like DePaul, George Mason, and Texas A&M also in the mix, Morton's decision is a huge one for his final year. For Wazzu, losing a proven shooter and playmaker is a tough pill to swallow, especially as Coach Riley builds his squad. It's always a bummer when top talent moves on from a program in our state, but you gotta respect a player looking for their best fit. We’ll be watching to see where Jerone Morton lands, and wishing him the best, even if it means he’s no longer rocking the crimson and gray here in Washington.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.