WSU’s leading scorer to transfer
PULLMAN – Josh Akognon, who led Washington State University’s men’s basketball team in scoring as a sophomore this season, has decided to transfer.
“It just wasn’t a good fit here,” Akognon said Tuesday evening. “I feel like this was a style I didn’t grow up with, I wasn’t comfortable in.”
The shooting guard made a splash near the beginning of the Pac-10 season by scoring 27 points at Washington in January to earn conference player of the week honors, then followed that performance up with 25 second-half points at UCLA in the next game.
With 10.3 points a game, Akognon was the lone Cougar to average double figures for the 2005-06 season.
But Akognon’s weaknesses as a defender – he played strictly zone defense in high school, in sharp contrast to Dick Bennett’s famed man-to-man schemes – limited his playing time down the stretch, and by season’s end he had become a role player who was visibly unhappy with the way things had progressed.
Akognon said he made his decision over the weekend, and has already informed the coaching staff of his intent to move on. The 5-foot-10 guard has not decided where he will land, although he did say multiple West Coast Conference schools as well as Miami (Fla.) have expressed an interest.
Akognon confirmed that his desire is to play for a more up-tempo team where his shooting talents can be put to use without the rigidity of the Bennett system, which will most likely remain in place with Tony Bennett taking over as head coach.
“Right now at this stage of my career I need a solid role,” Akognon said. “They’re great coaches. I just want to leave peacefully. I have a lot of respect for them.
“I wasn’t really happy with the minutes, but again Coach (Dick) Bennett is a great coach and I didn’t really complain. … Wherever I go I’m going to be a lot more mentally tough.”
Akognon’s departure is the first of what could be multiple changes to the Cougars roster this off-season. Rodney Edgerson, a junior college transfer who arrived at WSU with back troubles, has not been able to get healthy and could end up taking a medical non-counter, which would clear another scholarship.
Akognon’s slot is likely to be filled by Taylor Rochestie, who transferred from Tulane to WSU in January as a walk-on.