Casey Jones Is Coming Back: WSU Coach Just Revealed the Plan That Changes Everything
Here's the thing about Casey Jones: he's been gone all season, serving a Mormon mission far from Pullman. But Washington State basketball coach David Riley just made it crystal clear in an exclusive interview that Jones is locked in to return this summer and rejoin the Cougar program. The original timeline? Still intact. And this matters more than you might think.
The Mission, the Plan, and Why Riley Believes in Him
Riley gets an email every Monday with updates on what Jones has been doing while on his mission. "It's really cool kind of being this close to someone that's on a Mormon mission and I'm learning about that religion and what they're doing," Riley told Cougfan.com. "It's cool to see how he's grown and how he's helping other people right now. And I know he'll come back a better person."
Jones is set to finish up late summer and then report to campus. The plan is for him to redshirt next season and play his final year in 2027-28. But Riley isn't hedging on his value to the squad. "Whether he redshirts or not next year, he's going to be big help to our team. He has a championship mindset. He helps practices a lot. He's a dog out there. He's going to make it a little nasty every day in practice."
What Jones Brought Before He Left
In 2023-24, his last season before the mission, Jones was legit. He averaged 12.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game in 26.6 minutes, shooting 54.7 percent from two and 36.2 percent from deep on 58 attempts. He led Eastern in steals with 33 and earned All-Defensive honors on the Big Sky. He was also named second-team All-Big Sky. That's a guy who can help a program.
Portal Moves and Roster Shifts
While Jones is locked in, two Cougars are headed out. Kase Wynott and Eemeli Yalaho are both entering the transfer portal when it opens April 7. Wynott, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound guard from Lapwai, Idaho, showed promise early this season before a late-November injury ended his year. He'll presumably get a medical redshirt. Yalaho, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound junior from Finland, appeared in all 32 games and averaged 10.1 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 39.8 percent from deep. Riley respects both: "Two guys who I really love and care about that did a great job here. I'm excited to see where he goes and how he's going to do well." With these departures and Adria Rodriguez turning pro, WSU has five open roster spots to fill heading into next season.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.