PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State men’s basketball’s best freshman scorer, Myles Rice, is entering the transfer portal following the Cougars’ NCAA Tournament run that ended in the second round and the departure of Kyle Smith, WSU head coach and Pac-12 Coach of the Year, to Stanford.
Rice played his first full season with WSU this year after he missed his first two seasons as he was battling and recovering from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
Rice shared this message on his decision:
“After reflecting on the recent changes in the Washington State Men’s Basketball Program, I have made the difficult decision to enter my name into the transfer portal. I would like to thank the entire coaching staff and the administration of WSU for supporting me for the past 3 years. To my teammates, we shared a special brotherhood, amazing moments, and life stories that I will cherish forever. A special, and heartfelt acknowledgment has to be expressed to the Cancer Care Northwest in Moscow. Pullman Regional Hospital nurses, and doctors. Head sports trainer Learie Jones, I could not have done this without you. No words can equate to the tremendous impact you have made in my life. Last but certainly not least, gratitude to the Pullman community. You took me in, embraced me, and lifted me up with nothing but hugs and love during my times of need… to that I say thank you. Once a Coug, always a Coug!”
The freshman put together one of the best seasons a freshman ever has wearing the Cougar uniform, but now he will be taking his talents elsewhere as he looks for a new team to call home.
This year, Rice was Washington State’s second-best scorer, as he averaged 14.8 points per game. He led the Cougs in average assists with 3.8 and steals with 1.6.
In total, the redshirt freshman put up 519 points, grabbed 108 rebounds, dished out 134 assists, and had 56 blocks while shooting 44% from the field and 27.5% from three.
During the regular season, the Columbia, S.C., native became the Cougars’ all-team freshman recordholder in single-season points (473), field goals attempted (385), and steals (48). Rice scored in double figures 24 times this regular season, capped by dropping a WSU freshman single-game record of 35 points at Stanford, to become just the third freshman in the last 20 years to put up 35 points with eight assists as a freshman.
Rice will now become one of the highest-rated players in the transfer portal after his outstanding season, which tabbed him as the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, earned him seven Pac-12 Freshman of the Week honors, and named him to the All-Pac-12 First Team and the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team.
Rice becomes the fourth Coug to enter the portal following their season-ending loss to Iowa State in the round of 32. He now joins WSU guard Dylan Darling, sophomore forward Kymany Houinsou, and center AJ LaBeau.
