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WSU Men's Basketball

WSU wing Jaylen Wells declares for NBA Draft, retaining option to return to school

Washington State forward Jaylen Wells steals the ball from Colorado guard J’Vonne Hadley during the Pac-12 Tournament on March 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review)
By Greg Woods gregw@spokesman.com(509) 459-5587

PULLMAN – Jaylen Wells is ready to realize his dream of going pro.

The Washington State wing shared as much on social media on Thursday, announcing that he has declared for the NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility, meaning he has the option to return to college next season – at WSU or elsewhere.

“It’s been an honor to represent Washington State and truly learn what it means to be a Coug,” Wells wrote. “It has always been a dream of mine to play in the NBA, and being in Pullman has given me the opportunity to make that dream come true. For that, I have the deepest gratitude for the whole Washington State community.”

Wells, who averaged 12.6 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 42% on 3-pointers last season, always profiled as the Cougars’ best pro prospect. Listed at 6-foot-8, Wells blossomed into a reliable defender and 3-point shooter, two of the traits NBA scouts value most.

It’s possible Wells returns to WSU. Some players who aren’t sure about their NBA stock elect to enter the draft pool and work out for NBA scouts, who give them feedback on their games and what improvements they can make to improve their stock. Then it’s up to them to return to school or stay in the draft pool.

Wells has until May 29 to make that decision.

A former Division II All-American at California’s Sonoma State, where he played the first two seasons of his career, Wells played an invaluable role in helping WSU place second in the Pac-12 and snap its 16-year NCAA Tournament drought last season. He shot 44% on 3-pointers in conference play, and had one of the best plays in program history in late February, knocking down the winning four-point play to help WSU topple then-No. 4 Arizona on the road.

Wells joined the Washington State starting lineup in January, playing heavy minutes as the Cougars at one point won eight straight games,

Wells playing a meaningful role. He scored a career-high 27 points on two occasions, both wins, and he scored in double figures in six of his final seven games – including 17- and 20-point showings in WSU’s two NCAA Tournament games.

Washington State on Thursday introduced new head coach David Riley, who replaces former head coach Kyle Smith, who left for the same job at Stanford last week. Smith recruited Wells, a Sacramento, California, native, out of Sonoma State.

In the days since Smith left, 10 Cougars have elected to enter the transfer portal, including guard Myles Rice and senior wing Andrej Jakimovski.

All 10 can return to WSU if they choose.