Washington State Basketball Roster: Who’s Who

The Washington State Cougars basketball team is set to have a great season and we’ve got your roster guide right here. Get to know the players who will be representing the team this year.

Introduction

Washington State University’s men’s Basketball team is composed of some of the most talented and hardworking young athletes in the country. In preparation for the upcoming season we’ve put together a guide to help you get to know the team. From the star players to the role players, this is who’s who on the Washington State Basketball roster.

Washington State’s 2019-2020 Roster

The 2019-2020 Washington State men’s basketball team will feature a mix of experienced veterans and talented newcomers. The roster is highlighted by senior guard Viont’e Daniels, who averaged 13.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game last season. Other key returnees include junior forward Marvin Cannon and sophomore guard Isaac Bonton.

The Cougars will also have several talented newcomers, including freshman guard AJ Barcello and junior college transfer Jeff Pollard. Washington State will look to build on a successful 2018-2019 campaign that saw them reach the NCAA tournament for the first time in five years. With a mix of experience and talent, the Cougars should be a force to be reckoned with in the Pac-12 this season.

Head Coach Kyle Smith

Head Coach Kyle Smith is in his second season with the Washington State basketball program. He has a career record of 125-122, which includes stops at San Francisco and Columbia.

Smith was born in Seattle and raised in Bellevue, Washington. He is a graduate of Washington State University where he played basketball for four years. After college, he spent two years coaching at Gonzaga University before moving to the NBA’s Golden State Warriors as an Assistant Coach

Smith then became the head coach at USF, where he spent three seasons. He led the Dons to a 21-12 record and an appearance in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in his first season. His second year was even better, as USF went 23-11 and made it to the second round of the NIT. But Smith’s third season was a disappointment, as USF went just 15-16 and failed to make any postseason tournaments

Smith then moved on to Columbia, where he coached for four seasons. His best year came in 2017-18, when he led the Lions to a 19-13 record and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament But Columbia struggled in Smith’s final two seasons, going 13-17 and 12-16 respectively.

Now Smith is back home at Washington state where he’ll look to lead the Cougars back to prominence.

Assistant Coaches

The Washington State men’s Basketball team has two assistant coaches David Adelman is in his first season with the Cougars, while Mike Dunlap is in his second.

David Adelman comes to Washington State after spending four seasons as an assistant coach at Loyola Marymount He was a part of a staff that helped the Lions to a pair of 20-win seasons, including a 21-13 record in 2016-17.

Mike Dunlap is no stranger to the Pac-12, having served as the Head Coach at Oregon from 2002-03 and at Arizona State from 2006-07. He also was an assistant coach at UCLA from 1998-2002 and has more than 30 years of coaching experience at the collegiate and professional levels.

The Players

Included in Washington State’s basketball roster for the upcoming season are three seniors, two juniors, four sophomores, and three freshmen. Here is a brief look at each player:

seniors- Jaylen Shead (6-5, G), Robert Franks (6-7, F), and Viont’e Daniels (6-3, G)
juniors- Carter Skaggs (6-9, F) and Jeff Pollard (6-11, C)
sophomores- C.J. Elleby (6-6, F), Aljaz Kunc (6-9, F), Karl Nicholas Gillenwater III (6-3, G), and Isaac Bonton (6-2, G)
freshmen- Jervae Robinson (6-4, G), Dishon Jackson (6-7, F), and Jamison Burns Fowler (6-10, C)

The Newcomers

This season, the Washington State Cougars will have six new faces on the basketball team Here’s a look at the newcomers and what they bring to the team:

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Nnamdi Okongwu – A 6-foot-3 guard from Los Angeles Okongwu is a former four-star recruit who originally committed to USC before deciding to come to Washington State He’s a strong defender and has the potential to be a good scorer.

Anthony Mack – A 6-foot-4 guard from Seattle, Mack is a local product who chose Washington State over offers from other schools, including Gonzaga. He’s a good shooter and should be able to contribute right away.

Tariq Sterling-DeShazer – A 6-foot-5 guard from Tacoma, Sterling-DeShazer is another local product who chose Washington State over offers from other schools. He’s known as a good shooter and should provide some scoring punch off the bench.

forwards
Aljami Durham – A 6-foot-4 forward from Indianapolis, Durham originally committed to LSU before deciding to come to Washington State He’s considered a good all-around player who can contribute on both ends of the court.

Djordje Dimitrijevic – A 6-foot-9 forward from Serbia, Dimitrijevic is an experienced player who has played professionally in his home country. He’s expected to add some size and strength inside for the Cougars.

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Efe Odigie – A 6-foot-10 center from Nigeria, Odigie is a big body who can provide some rebounding and shot blocking. He’s still raw offensively but has the potential to develop into a good player down the road.

The Redshirts

The Redshirts are the players who fill out the roster but don’t usually see much playing time They’re important to the team, though, because they provide depth and support. Here’s a look at the Redshirts on the Washington State Basketball team.

The Walk-ons

The Washington State University men’s basketball team is composed of 13 players from across the United States The team has 4 seniors, 5 juniors, 3 sophomores, and 1 freshman. Of the 13 players, 7 are walk-ons. A walk-on is a player who is not on scholarship, but has earned a spot on the team through tryouts.

The walk-ons for the Washington State men’s basketball team are:

-Tristan Fortt: Senior guard from Seattle, WA. Fortt is in his fourth and final season with the Cougars. He has played in 44 career games, averaging 1.2 points per game

-Tyler Hilinski: Junior guard from Pullman, WA. Hilinski is in his third season with the Cougars and has played in 35 career games, averaging 0.9 points per game

-Jeff Pollard: Sophomore forward from Bellevue, WA. Pollard is in his second season with the Cougars and has appeared in 16 career games, averaging 1 point per game.

-Bryce Leavitt: Sophomore guard from Spokane, WA. Leavitt is in his second season with the Cougars and has played in 5 career games, averaging 0 points per game

-Jack Kraus: Sophomore forward from Lake Tapps, WA. Kraus is in his second season with the Cougars and has played in 9 career games, averaging 0 points per game

– jogreer Greenough: Freshman guard from Tacoma, WA. Greenough is in his first season with the Cougars and has yet to appear in a game for the team.

The Schedule

The Huskies will have their work cut out for them in the upcoming season They’ll be facing some tough opponents, including some of the best teams in the country. But with a strong roster of players, they’ll be looking to make some noise in the NCAA tournament Here’s a look at the schedule and some of the Key Players on the team.

Conclusion

The Washington State men’s basketball team finished the 2017-2018 season with an overall record of 13-17. The team was led by freshman guard Jaylen Nowell, who averaged 16.0 Points per game Nowell was named the PAC-12 Freshman of the Year and was unanimously selected to the All-PAC-12 first team. senior guard Malachi Flynn averaged 15.8 points per game and led the team in assists with 4.3 per game. He was named to the All-PAC-12 second team.

Head coach Ernie Kent will return for his fourth season at Washington State in 2018-2019. The Cougars will look to improve upon their 13-17 record from last season and make a push for a spot in the PAC-12 tournament.