WSU earns commitment from High Point transfer wing Simon Hildebrandt as team makeover continues
PULLMAN – Washington State has now reeled in a trio of transfers this spring.
The Cougars’ third commitment of the offseason comes from High Point transfer wing Simon Hildebrandt, who announced his decision Sunday afternoon, choosing to spend his final year of eligibility in Pullman.
Joining Boise State wing Emmanuel Ugbo and Morehead State guard Jerone Morton as players to transfer to WSU this spring, Hildebrandt averaged 5.5 points and three rebounds in about 13 minutes per game last season for the Panthers, who fell to Purdue in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in late March. Hildebrandt played 25 games to help High Point reach its first big dance in program history, plus its first Big South title.
Listed at 6-foot-9 and 238 pounds, Hildebrandt hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he spent the first two years of his career at the University of Manitoba. For his career with the Bisons, Hildebrandt averaged 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, shooting 40% from 3-point range as a freshman before hitting 32% of his triples as a sophomore.
Hildebrandt was named a two-time Canada West First Team All-Star recipient and named to the All-Canadian team in 2022-23.
In his lone year at High Point, Hildebrandt connected on about 34% from beyond the arc on 2.2 attempts per game, suggesting he might be able to fit nicely into WSU coach David Riley’s system, which prioritizes space and pace, giving scorers room to operate all over the floor. But in Riley’s inaugural season, his Cougars struggled on the defensive end, which is where Hildebrandt’s size could play an important role.
In the portal, Riley and the Cougars have clearly sought to improve their defense and rebounding, another area that gave them issues last season. With his 6-8 frame and athleticism, Ugbo profiles as a player who could help WSU improve on that front, as does Hildebrandt, who averaged more than five rebounds in each of his two years at Manitoba. At High Point, Hildebrandt averaged 2.2 defensive rebounds and 0.8 offensive boards per game.
Hildebrandt, Ugbo and Morton’s additions figure to help WSU replace losing its entire starting five from last season, which featured LeJuan Watts (transferred to Texas Tech), Nate Calmese (transferred to Wake Forest), Isaiah Watts (transferred to Maryland) and graduating forwards Ethan Price and Dane Erikstrup. Together, that group averaged 65.3 points, 22.9 rebounds and 14.7 assists per game.
The Cougars now have about five scholarships available, though the number isn’t set the way it was in years past. Starting in 2025-26, college basketball teams will have roster limits (15 players) instead of scholarship limits, allowing coaches to spread out scholarships as they see fit. That means some players could be on full scholarship with others on a partial scholarship.
Former WSU guard Cedric Coward, who missed all but six games last season with an injury, is reportedly deciding between finalists Alabama and Duke while intending to test the NBA draft waters. Freshman guard Marcus Wilson, who also missed most of the year with his own injury, entered the portal in March.
After redshirting last season, freshman center Dimitrije Vukicevic did the same last week, though a source told The Spokesman-Review a return is possible.