Washington State Signs Roman Stathis, Dips Into Australian Pipeline Again
The Washington State Cougars continued their aggressive offseason rebuild with another international addition, landing 6-7 wing Roman Stathis from Sydney, Australia.
Stathis spent his lone prep season at Golden State Prep in Napa, California, and becomes one of several newcomers added to a dramatically reshaped Cougar roster heading into the 2026–27 season.
There is limited publicly available information on Stathis, but early film suggests he possesses intriguing upside. In the clips currently available, the Australian wing shows a smooth perimeter shooting stroke and appears comfortable operating as a catch-and-shoot threat from beyond the arc. At 6-7, his size and shooting ability give Washington State another developmental piece to mold, as he’s the second Australian addition of the offseason along with Fraser Roxburgh.
Given the sheer number of transfers brought in this offseason, Stathis appears likely to be a redshirt candidate during his first season in Pullman. Washington State relied heavily on the transfer portal to reconstruct its roster after significant turnover, and the coaching staff may choose to give Stathis extra time before asking him to contribute, viewing him as a potential impact player down the road.
Stathis joins a group of new players signed on with the Cougars this season. Former Eastern Washington transfer Casey Jones is returning from a church mission in August and is supposed to redshirt. Freshman wing Brayden Kyman will coming to Pullman as well. Along with being a young player, Kyman brings a versatile skill set and the ability to pass the ball.
Washington State returns only two players from last season’s roster in walk on freshman guard Dio Blakely and freshman forward Dominick Robinson, who redshirted last season. Overall, the Cougars are returning seven minutes along with four points, one rebound, one assist, and one block from the previous season.
The Cougars added nine transfers during the offseason, dramatically reshaping nearly every position on the roster. The incoming group includes former Wake Forest University guard Sebastian Akins, ex-Texas Christian University guard RJ Jones, and former Manhattan University forward Fraser Roxburgh. Washington State also landed former Providence wing Jaylen Harrell, UNLV forward Ladji Dembele, and Division II standout Lazerek Houston from University of Central Missouri. Additional portal additions include former University of Oregon guard Jamari Phillips, East Texas A&M University transfer Ronnie Harrison, and former Northwestern University forward Tyler Kropp.
In other news, Washington State was officially announced as a participant in the 2026 Acrisure Series in Palm Springs. The Cougars will be joined by former WSU head coach Kyle Smith and his Stanford squad, along with Arizona State. Oregon State, USC, Nevada, South Carolina, Santa Clara, Colorado, Grand Canyon, and Saint Louis in the event.
