Jerone Morton's 2nd Percentile Defensive Rating Is the One Thing Wazzu Fans Won't Miss

Alright, so buckle up, 'cause the transfer portal is heating up, and we've got some news from across the state that's got folks talking. Our guy Jerone Morton, that guard from Washington State, is officially on the move! Jacob Polacheck of KSR+ just confirmed he's scheduled to visit Kentucky this Friday. A central Kentucky native, Morton is looking for a new home after spending a season with the Cougars and two before that at Morehead State. DePaul, George Mason, and Texas A&M are also trying to snag him, so the competition is real. On3's got him ranked as the 508th overall player and the 138th-best shooting guard in the portal this offseason. He's got one year of eligibility left, and man, is his tape a rollercoaster!

From Small School Star to Cougar Contributor

This dude's journey through college ball is wild. Back in high school at George Rogers Clark in Kentucky, Morton was legit, leading them to a Sweet 16 championship in 2022, even grabbing tournament MVP, and a runner-up finish in 2023. As a senior, he was putting up 19.8 points and 6.6 boards on 52.4 percent shooting. Not bad, right? But he was lightly recruited and landed at Morehead State. As a freshman in 2023-24, he was mostly a bench guy, averaging 2.2 points in 12.9 minutes. But then, BAM! His sophomore year in 2024-25, his role exploded. He started 20 of 26 games, bumping his averages to 10.4 points, 3.4 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in nearly 30 minutes a night. His shooting splits jumped to a solid 45.0/37.7/72.0. He even had a couple of 20-point games and an 18-point, seven-assist, four-rebound outing in an overtime win against UT Martin. All that production got him noticed, and he became new head coach Davi

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d Riley's first portal addition for Washington State in 2025-26, choosing them over schools like Marshall and Indiana State. For the Cougars, he started 29 of 32 games, averaging 7.8 points, 2.6 assists, and 1.9 rebounds, shooting 43.8/38.8/82.0. He even dropped 16 and 15 points in two matchups against Gonzaga and had a nine-point, nine-assist game versus St. Mary's.

The Numbers Tell a Very Specific Story

Okay, so let's talk about the advanced stats, because this is where it gets interesting for Morton. On the offensive end, the guy can shoot the lights out. CBB Analytics had him in the 85th percentile among all guards for three-point shooting, hitting over 50 percent from the right side of the floor. And from NBA range, he knocked down 37 percent of his 61 triples. He's a low-usage guy at 16.6 percent, but he makes it count when he has the ball. His assist/turnover ratio was also elite, sitting in the 88th percentile at 2.22. Seriously, those are some solid numbers for a guard. But then you look at the other end of the floor, and it's a different story. While he was average in defensive havoc and solid with steals and blocks, the overall defensive metrics were not kind. His DRAPM, which is a pretty serious defensive metric, came in at a brutal -3.4, landing him in the 2nd percentile. His Defensive Win Shares? A paltry 0.03, ranking him in the 20th percentile. Ouch. He was also a better offensive rebounder than defensive. So, what's next for Jerone Morton? He's got talent, especially on offense, with that sweet stroke and great passing, but that defense is a glaring red flag for any team looking to build a contender. Will Kentucky or another suitor overlook those defensive struggles for his offensive firepower? We'll be watching closely to see where this journey takes him next.

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