Washington State's Roster Implosion Gets Worse: 10th Player Hits the Portal

Jerone Morton announced on social media Tuesday night that he's entering the transfer portal, and with him goes another piece of what's left of Washington State basketball. The guard becomes the 10th Cougar to bail this offseason, and honestly, the numbers are getting brutal.

Morton Was a Key Piece for Riley

Morton started 29 of 32 games last season and averaged 7.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. He shot 44% from the field and 38% from three, which sounds solid, but what really mattered was what he brought on the other end. Morton was a staunch defender who logged 25 minutes per game and earned playing time based on his defense alone when his scoring wasn't there.

At 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds, he had the size to be versatile on that end of the floor and help the Cougars on the boards. He was a reliable ballhandler too, which made him valuable in coach David Riley's lineups. A former transfer from Morehead State, Morton had spent the first two years of his career there before coming to Pullman.

The Exodus Is Staggering

This isn't just about Morton leaving. He joins forwards ND Okafor, Eemeli Yalaho, and Emmanuel Ugbo, plus guards Ace Glass, Tomas Thrastarson, Ri Vavers, Kase Wynott, Parker Gerrits, and Brunel Mazdou (who was redshirted) in the portal.

That's a lot of names. The real killer is that Morton, Glass, Okafor, Thrastarson, and Yalaho were all regular starters. Riley has to replace the entire starting lineup for a second straight offseason. Add in point guard Adria Rodriguez, who's heading back to Spain on a professional contract, and forward Simon Hildebrandt, who exhausted his eligibility, and you're looking at 11 departures total.

The roster is basically empty. Only walk-on guard Dio Blakely (seven total minutes) and forward Dominik Robinson (redshirted) remain. The Cougars are staring down another complete roster rebuild after already doing it twice in recent years.

A Program in Free Fall

The most impactful losses are Glass, Morton, Okafor, Vavers, and Thrastarson. These were regular starters and actual contributors. Wynott missed almost the entire season with an injury, Gerrits is a reserve, and Ugbo was suspended for the final nine games because of a protection order against him.

This is the third major roster overhaul in consecutive offseasons. After 2024, the Cougars lost their entire starting lineup when coach Kyle Smith left for Stanford. Last spring, they lost two starters to the portal, two to graduation, and one to the NBA. Now this.

Washington State still hasn't gotten clarity on Glass, who remains the biggest piece of what's left. Until that decision comes down, the Cougars won't even know what they're truly working with.

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