Washington State forward CJ Elleby has announced that he will remain in the NBA Draft and turn pro. The now-former Cougar averaged 18.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 39.6% from the floor and 33.9% from three during his sophomore season. Elleby appeared to take a step back efficiency-wise last season as he became the primary option for the Cougars.
This is a major blow for Kyle Smith and Washington State. While Elleby was somewhat inefficient last season, his ability to score from all three levels of the court is something that will be missed. Senior Isaac Bonton will look to step in and become the go-to option for the Cougars. Bonton averaged 15.3 points and 4 assists per game last season. Sophomore Noah Williams, as well as, Freshmen Andrej Jakimovski, Carlos Rosari, and DiShon Jackson seem like they could be solid pieces going forward. While this definitely hurts the Cougars next season, it would be hard to imagine them continuing to be the cellar-dweller of the league.