Lapwai Legend Kase Wynott Returns Home: Idaho's All-Time Scoring Record-Holder Signs with Vandals

In one of the biggest homecoming stories in recent Idaho basketball history, Kase Wynott is coming back to the Gem State, but this time he is putting on a Vandals uniform instead of the Lapwai Wildcats colors that made him an absolute legend.

The 6-foot-6 guard, Idaho's all-time high school scoring leader with 2,962 career points, officially signed with the University of Idaho men's basketball program on Friday after spending two seasons at Washington State University. Wynott's transfer marks a stunning full-circle moment for one of the most prolific scorers in Pacific Northwest prep basketball history.

From Record-Breaker to Portal Player

Wynott's dominance at Lapwai High School, located just east of Lewiston on the Nez Perce Reservation, was nothing short of historic. The 2024 Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year holds the state record for single-game scoring with 68 points and nearly averaged a triple-double during his senior season, putting up 36 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game. He won three state championships with the Wildcats, two of them alongside current Idaho senior guard Titus Yearout.

Despite his prep pedigree, Wynott's college path took a detour. After initially committing to Utah State over offers from Washington, Idaho, and Eastern Washington, he flipped to the Cougars. However, his time in Pullman yielded limited production. As a freshman, he appeared in 24 games, averaging just 1.2 points and 1.5 rebounds in 13.4 minutes. Last season brought slightly more opportunities with five games played and 4.0 points per outing in 9.6 minutes.

Coach Pribble Prioritizes Local Talent

Wynott's arrival in Moscow comes as Idaho coach Alex Pribble continues to aggressively reshape his roster following the Vandals' historic 2024 tournament run. Idaho won the Big Sky Conference Tournament championship and earned its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 36 years before being hit hard by the transfer portal.

"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. We want the best players from Idaho to be in this program, and Kase is the all-time leading scorer from the state."

Pribble has been relentless in the transfer market, adding Canadian prospect TJ Wal, a 6-foot-7 guard from Edmonton who averaged 18 points per game with Overtime Elite, and California sharpshooter Nolan Newman-Gomez, a 6-foot-8 forward who led Hesperia High to the CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship.

Wynott's return to Idaho gives the Vandals one of the state's greatest scorers in program history, and his reunion with Yearout could provide the veteran leadership needed as Idaho looks to build on last year's tournament breakthrough.

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