WSU Basketball Raids Australia Again, Lands 6-7 Wing Roman Stathis From Golden State Prep

David Riley's rebuilding Cougar basketball program is doubling down on talent from down under. WSU just announced that Roman Stathis, a 6-7, 225-pound wing from Sydney, Australia, is joining Riley's 2026 recruiting class out of Golden State Prep in California. This move completes half of Riley's commitment yesterday to add two more players to the class before wrapping up recruiting and turning focus to summer workouts.

Another Aussie Pipeline Player Heads to Pullman

Washington State has a history of mining Australian basketball talent, and Stathis continues that tradition following players like Aron Baynes and Brock Motum. The small forward can attack downhill to the rim and has the range to stretch the floor with his outside shot, according to WSU's announcement this morning. Stathis played at Golden State Prep, a post-high school academy where prospects take a gap year to develop their game before heading to college.

While the public file on Stathis is light on statistics, tape review suggests he's a physical presence with solid catch-and-shoot ability. Given the experienced depth Riley has built into his roster, Stathis is expected to redshirt his first season. Some tape analysis also suggests his listed 6-7 size might be a bit generous, but the raw tools are there.

Building a Transfer Heavy Class, One Piece at a Time

Stathis is the second high school player in Riley's newly constructed class, joining 6-7 wing Brayden Kyman, who comes from Klay Thompson's alma mater Santa Margarita Catholic. He's also the second Australian in the class, pairing up with Manhattan University transfer Fraser Roxburgh, a 6-7 forward who started 31 games for the Jaspers this past season and averaged 11 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

Riley's roster overhaul is fully underway. In his media briefing yesterday, Riley revealed that outgoing Cougar players received a combined $10 million in the transfer portal this offseason. According to industry sources tracking revenue sharing and NIL dollars, the two biggest financial winners from WSU were Ace Glass, who received about $2 million heading to Vanderbilt, and ND Okafor, who landed more than $1.5 million with Mississippi State.

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