WSU Guard Jerone Morton Is Out, And That Deep Ball Is Going With Him

Alright, listen up, Emerald City! You gotta hear this because it’s a gut punch for Washington State hoops fans. Our guy, Jerone Morton, the guard who gave us some real flashes of brilliance, is officially out of Pullman and hitting the transfer portal. And get this, he’s already scheduled a visit to Kentucky this Friday! Jacob Polacheck of KSR+ dropped the confirmation, and suddenly, everyone’s scrambling. This isn't some rumor, folks, it’s happening, and it means the Cougars are losing a solid piece from last season. DePaul, George Mason, and Texas A&M are all apparently in the mix too, so he's got options.

From Morehead to Pullman: A Career on the Rise

Morton's journey has been a wild ride, and you've gotta respect the grind. This dude started out as a star at George Rogers Clark in Kentucky, leading them to a Sweet 16 title in 2022, even snagging the tournament MVP. He averaged nearly 20 points a game his senior year, 19.8 points and 6.6 rebounds to be exact, shooting 52.4 percent. But, he was lightly recruited and ended up at Morehead State. As a freshman in 2023-24, he was mostly off the bench, playing 34 games with two starts, averaging just 2.2 points in almost 13 minutes. He even got a couple minutes in an NCAA Tournament game against Illinois. Then, BAM! Sophomore year, he took a massive leap. Morton started 20 of 26 games, pushing his numbers way up 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 45.0 percent from the field, 37.7 percent from deep, and 72.0 percent from the line. He dropped 14 double-digit scoring games, including two 20-point outings, like that 18-point, seven-assist, four-rebound effort in an overtime win against UT Martin. That's a serious glow-up! His production caught David Riley's eye, and Morton became the first portal addition for the new WSU head coach last offseason, choosing the Cougars over schools like Marshall and Indiana State. At WSU i

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n 2025-26, 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 lit up Gonzaga for 16 and 15 points in two matchups, and had a nine-point, nine-assist game against St. Mary’s.

The Numbers Tell a Story, Good and Bad

So, what kind of player is WSU losing? The advanced stats from his time in Pullman paint a clear picture. Morton's three-point shooting was legit, ranking in the 85th percentile among all guards, and his assist/turnover ratio was even better, hitting the 88th percentile at 2.22. He's not a high-usage guy, just 16.6 percent, but he found ways to make an impact. He was money from mid-range and above-the-break threes, even knocking down over 50 percent of his threes from the right side of the floor! Of his 61 NBA-range triples, he converted them at a 37 percent clip. That's a deep shooting threat we're talking about! It wasn't always off an assist either, with only 45.2 percent of his threes being set up by a teammate last season. Now, for the flip side: defense. He was average in defensive havoc with some solid steals and blocks for a guard, but the overall defensive metrics weren’t super kind. His DRAPM of -3.4 put him in the 2nd percentile, and his Defensive Win Shares of 0.03 were in the 20th percentile. He impacted the offensive glass more than the defensive.

What's Next for Morton and the Cougs?

So, Jerone Morton, ranked No. 508 overall and the 138th-best shooting guard in the portal by On3, has one year of eligibility left. He's a Central Kentucky native, so a visit to Kentucky makes a ton of sense. For WSU, it means David Riley has a hole to fill in the backcourt, especially with that deep shooting threat gone. This is the transfer portal, folks, and it moves fast. It’s always tough to see talent go, but here’s hoping Morton finds the perfect fit and keeps developing that impressive offensive game. For the Cougs, it's back to the drawing board to find the next player who can light up the scoreboard. Always gotta be looking forward, right?

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