Meet the Returners: Familiar Faces Ready to Step Up for WSU Hoops

We’re one week away from both our men’s and women’s teams tipping off—just as football did—against cross-state rival Idaho next Monday at home in Beasley Coliseum.

In the new NIL and transfer portal era, it’s no longer the same cast of characters returning year after year. Let’s take a look at the players returning from last year’s squad.

All Stats Listed Are Per Game

Returning Players & Personnel

Last year, David Riley inherited what was essentially a bare roster in his first season. He filled spots with a mix of players from Eastern Washington and a handful from the transfer portal. With a full season on campus, Riley has now built a roster with more size across the forward positions and improved athleticism throughout.

Entire Coaching Staff/GM – Not only do we have Coach David Riley back for his second season, but he also retained his entire staff and brought back our GM, former NBA player Orlando Johnson, in Pullman.

ND was an essential part of last year’s team, even if the numbers don’t fully show it. With all the injuries, he served as the only reliable big man off the bench. He progressed as the season went along and has put in a lot of work over the summer. According to the official roster, he’s added 15 pounds this year. Look for ND to be an important contributor for the 2025–26 Cougs.

Rihards really had a season from hell last year—every time he started to find his rhythm, he got hurt. One thing he proved, though, is that he can really shoot the ball, hitting nearly half of his three-point attempts. A healthy offseason should go a long way toward his success. Another player who added 15 pounds this year, that added strength should help him stay on the floor. Vavers brings great size on the wing and a quick release—look for him to be one of this team’s premier scorers.

All the injuries last season thrust Tomas into action more than the coaching staff anticipated in his first year at WSU—and his first year in the United States after coming over from Iceland. Thrastarson probably developed more than any player on last year’s team. He grew more comfortable handling the ball as the season went on, and the game clearly began to slow down for him. Watching him, I saw flashes of the same skill set Andrej Jakimovski showed early in his WSU career. I’m not sure what Tomas’ defining skill is yet, but he always seems to be in the right place and makes smart decisions with the ball. I’m looking forward to seeing his progression in Year 2.

Parker saw the floor mostly due to last year’s rash of injuries. His size has limited him so far in Pullman. He’s not quite a true point guard in terms of breaking a press or handling the ball, but he also hasn’t shot well enough from deep to play off the ball. How well Gerrits shoots from three this year will likely determine his playing time.

Adjusting to the size and speed of Division I basketball is rarely seamless, and that was clear for Wynott last season. The 2024 Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year—who broke the state’s all-time scoring record while averaging 36 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 9.1 assists as a senior—didn’t get much opportunity to showcase that ability in limited minutes last year. Wynott has put on 25 pounds over the summer, which should help his balance and physicality. I don’t care what level you’re playing at—if you average 36, 14, and 9, you’ve clearly got plenty of skill. The question is whether Wynott’s athleticism will allow him to reach that potential at the Division I level.

Final Thoughts

If you do the math, the returning production from last season totals 12 combined starts, 18.4 points per game, and 9.5 rebounds. After Cedric Coward’s injury last year, the team simply didn’t have the depth to replace everything he provided on both ends of the floor.

All of this to say—this year’s team is an entirely different group than the one Riley fielded last season.

Returning Players & Personnel

Final Thoughts

Schedule