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WSU Men's Basketball

WSU lands commitment from Quinnipiac transfer Rihards Vavers, a 6-7 wing

From left: Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson and Jewell Loyd. (Connor Vanderweyst)
By Greg Woods gregw@spokesman.com(509) 459-5587

PULLMAN – Washington State has landed its first transfer from somewhere other than Eastern Washington this offseason.

Quinnipiac transfer Rihards Vavers announced his commitment to WSU on Tuesday, giving the Cougars a 6-foot-7 wing who averaged 7.9 points and 2.8 rebounds per game as a freshman last season.

Vavers, a native of Latvia, averaged 17.6 minutes per game for Quinnipiac, which finished the season 24-10, ending with a first-round loss in the College Basketball Invitational. He shot a shade less than 40% from the floor, although most of his shots came from beyond the arc, where he connected on 37% on four attempts per game.

Much of Vavers’ value seems to come in his versatility and perimeter shooting. The Bobcats got 35% 3-point shooting from Vavers in conference play. He figures to fit well into the offense of WSU coach David Riley, who prioritizes shooting.

Vavers played the 2021-22 season at Archibishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., where he averaged 14.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, shooting 48% from the floor in 27 games.

He played the next season with Baltimore-based Team Thrill, an AAU organization, and The Skill Factory, a Junior NBA outfit based in Atlanta.

Vavers will have three years of eligibility at WSU, which has made five additions this offseason, including three Eastern Washington University transfers (centers Ethan Price and Dane Erikstrup, and wing LeJuan Watts) and one prep standout in Lapwai (Idaho) High’s Kase Wynott, who flipped from Utah State.

Riley, formerly of EWU, is using those transfers to fill the gaps left by the 12 former Cougars who have entered the portal, including guard Myles Rice (Indiana); wing Andrej Jakimovski (Colorado); centers Oscar Cluff (South Dakota State) and Rueben Chinyelu (Florida); guards Jabe Mullins (Montana State) and Dylan Darling (Idaho State); and wing Kymany Houinsou (Loyola Chicago).

Former Cougs still in the portal include rising senior wing Jaylen Wells, who received an invitation Monday to the NBA draft combine; guard Joseph Yesufu; and forwards Spencer Mahoney, AJ LeBeau and AJ Rohosy.