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Jack Wilson, a two-sport Washington State athlete, enters NCAA transfer portal

By Colton Clark coltonc@spokesman.com(208) 627-3209

PULLMAN – Jack Wilson, a two-sport athlete this season at Washington State, announced Wednesday that he has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Wilson played two years for WSU’s football team. After the 2022 season, he joined the Cougars’ basketball team. Wilson graduated from WSU and was honored on both teams’ senior nights.

“As much as I wish I could play football and basketball as a Coug forever, the time has come for me to move on and use my last year of eligibility to play and pursue a master’s as a graduate transfer,” Wilson tweeted. “I hope a day comes when I can coach, teach or somehow positively impact future Cougs. In the meantime, I’ll be rooting you guys on from wherever I am at.”

Wilson appeared in 25 games for WSU’s football team over the past two seasons, primarily on special teams. He played a reserve role as an offensive tackle.

The 6-foot-11, 325-pounder switched back to basketball in late November. He made 14 appearances this year for the Cougars (17-17), whose season ended Tuesday with a loss to Eastern Washington in the first round of the NIT.

Wilson appeared sparingly off the bench, providing brief spells of relief for Mouhamed Gueye, who was asked to shoulder a big workload for a Cougars frontcourt that played shorthanded throughout the season. Wilson averaged 3 minutes per game and finished the year with four points and five rebounds.

Coming out of Junipero Serra High in California, Wilson was rated a four-star basketball prospect by ESPN and signed with Oregon State. He played seven games for the Beavers, then transferred to Idaho. Wilson appeared in 18 games for the Vandals over a little more than one season , averaging 4.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game.

After leaving Idaho’s team in late 2020, Wilson got a job at a local GNC and worked as a strength intern for WSU’s basketball team. He planned to become a strength coach but was convinced to join WSU’s football team after a chance encounter with one of the program’s strength and conditioning staffers.