Washington State Guard Jerone Morton Made a Move That Leaves the Cougars Scrambling
Holy smokes, Coug fans, did you see this bombshell drop? Our guy, Washington State guard Jerone Morton, is out of Pullman and hitting the transfer portal hard! Jacob Polacheck of KSR+ just confirmed Morton is scheduled to visit Kentucky this Friday. Talk about a gut punch for the crimson and gray faithful. This isn't just a player leaving, it's a key piece from our backcourt walking away, and the transfer portal drama is officially kicking into high gear for Wazzu.
From Kentucky Kid to Cougar Standout
Morton's journey to Pullman wasn't exactly straight-line, but he brought some serious game when he got here. The central Kentucky native graduated from George Rogers Clark High School, where he was a certified baller, leading them to a Sweet 16 championship in 2022, even snagging the tournament MVP. He followed that up with a runner-up finish in 2023 under coach Josh Cook, averaging 19.8 points and 6.6 rebounds on 52.4 percent shooting his senior year. He was lightly recruited out of high school, starting his college career at Morehead State.
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After a quiet freshman year (2.2 points, 1.3 rebounds in 34 games, 2 starts), Morton absolutely blew up as a sophomore. He started 20 of 26 games, jacking his stats to 10.4 points, 3.4 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 29.5 minutes. His shooting splits jumped big time too: 45.0% from the field, 37.7% from deep, and 72.0% from the line. He had 14 double-digit scoring games, a couple of 20-point explosions, and even dropped 18 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds in a crazy 70-69 overtime win. That production sent him looking for a bigger stage, and new Washington State head coach David Riley made him his first portal addition last offseason, with Morton choosing the Cougars over schools like Marshall and Indiana State.
What Morton Brought to Washington State
For the Cougars in 2025-26, Morton played a massive role, starting 29 of his 32 games. He averaged 7.8 points, 2.6 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 24.9 minutes, with solid shooting splits of 43.8/38.8/82.0. He showed up huge in rivalry games, putting up 16 points and 15 points in two matchups against Gonzaga, plus a sweet 9-point, 9-assist performance against St. Mary's. The advanced stats from his time at WSU really highlight his offensive game: 85th percentile for three-point shooting among all guards and an incredible 88th percentile for his assist/turnover ratio of 2.22. He's a low-usage guy at 16.6%, but he clearly knows how to get buckets, especially from mid-range and above-the-break threes. He shot over 50% on his threes from the right side of the floor, and knocked down 37% of his 61 triples from NBA range!
Now, let's be real: his defensive metrics weren't as pretty. While he was average in "defensive havoc" for a guard (steals/blocks), his overall defensive impact last season graded out low, with a DRAPM of -3.4 (2nd percentile) and Defensive Win Shares of 0.03 (20th percentile). So, pure offense was his calling card.
Cougars Face a New Reality in the Portal
Morton has one year of eligibility left, and it sounds like a lot of programs want a piece of him. Besides Kentucky, schools like DePaul, George Mason, and Texas A&M are reaching out. On3 has him ranked as No. 508 overall and the 138th-best shooting guard in the transfer portal this offseason. For Kentucky, with Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins likely in place for the starting backcourt, Morton would probably be a depth piece. But for Washington State? Losing a player who started 29 games and brought that kind of offensive punch leaves a significant hole.
This Friday's visit to Kentucky is a huge moment for Jerone Morton's future. For the Cougars, his departure means new head coach David Riley has to hit the portal hard to secure some backcourt talent. It's still early in the season, and these kinds of moves totally set the tone for what we can expect next year. We'll be watching closely to see who steps up for Wazzu in the backcourt! Go Cougs, always!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.