WSU earns commitment from Texas Tech transfer Eemeli Yalaho as Cougs’ new vision comes into focus
PULLMAN – The more Washington State adds pieces via the transfer portal, the more the program’s new vision zooms into focus.
The Cougars’ latest addition is Texas Tech transfer wing Eemeli Yalaho, a source confirmed to The Spokesman-Review on Tuesday, giving his new team its fourth addition of the spring. Yalaho will have two years of eligibility with the potential for three, a source said.
Yalaho started his career with two years with the Red Raiders, averaging 3.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in 11.3 minutes per game last season. A native of Jyvaskyla, Finland, Yalaho scored a career-high 13 points in 24 minutes for a blowout win over Lamar in December.
247 Sports was the first to report the news of Yalaho’s commitment.
For the Cougars, who often languished with defense and rebounding last season, Yalaho’s addition is another sign that coach David Riley is intent on improving in those areas.
This spring, he’s also added 6-foot-8 Boise State transfer wing Emmanuel Ugbo, 6-4 Morehead State transfer guard Jerone Morton and 6-8 High Point transfer wing Simon Hildebrandt, all of whom figure to give WSU some ranginess and toughness where the club was missing it previously.
Listed at 6-8 and 249 pounds, Yalaho missed the final 14 games of the season with an upper-body injury, according to his profile at Texas Tech, which reached the Elite Eight in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
After playing his first three prep seasons in his native Finland, Yalaho spent his senior year at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, where he averaged 15.2 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.
As a class of 2023 prospect, Yalaho also earned offers from Mississippi State, Georgetown, Nebraska, Providence and Colorado State . He scored a season-high 28 points in a game against Spire National, when he also had 12 rebounds. Yalaho recorded double-digit scoring performances in 17 games, including more than 20 in six throughout the 23-game season.
Yalaho is joining a WSU team that profiles as a better defensive unit than last season, Riley’s first in Pullman.
On top of the four transfers the Cougs have added, they’re also returning rim protector ND Okafor, rising second-year guards Tomas Thrastarson and Kase Wynott, and junior wing Rihards Vavers, all of whom showed flashes last season that they can stay in front of their men on the perimeter.
Where Yalaho might help the Cougs most is on the glass, where he grabbed three-plus rebounds in four of his eight games last year. He pulled down five against Lamar, four against sixth-ranked Houston and three apiece in games against 22nd-ranked Texas A&M and Oral Roberts.
He could help the Cougars shore up their defensive rebounding issues.
Yalaho’s addition helps the Cougars replace their entire starting five – Wake Forest-bound Nate Calmese, Texas Tech-bound LeJuan Watts, Maryland-bound Isaiah Watts and outgoing senior forwards Ethan Price and Dane Erikstrup – as well as guard Cedric Coward, who announced on Monday he’s transferring to Duke. Freshman guard Marcus Wilson has also committed to UC Davis.
WSU also returns sophomore guard Parker Gerrits.
Freshman center Dimitrije Vukicevic is in the portal, but a return remains possible, according to a source.
Washington State has about four open scholarships remaining.