Cougars Basketball Roster Rundown: Rihards Vavers
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Washington State forward Rihards Vavers drives towards the basket during a regular season game. Credit: Rihards Vavers/Instagram [/caption]
This summer, Emerald City Spectrum will be taking a look at the Washington State men's basketball roster leading up to a new season, breaking down all 13 players who are expected to suit up for the Cougars in 2025-26.
In part two of the series, sharpshooter Rihards Vavers will look to emerge as one of Wazzu’s top scorers on a retooled roster as one of the few returning players from last year’s squad.
Richard Vavers, Forward, Junior
Vavers, a 6-7 195 pound junior out of Adaži, Latvia, came to Washington State from Quinnipiac, another Division I program from the MAAC. He arrived in Pullman with the reputation of being an assassin from deep, shooting 37.1 percent from three on four attempts per game, producing 7.9 points per game and shooting 63 percent of his total shots behind the three-point line. When he originally signed at WSU, the program’s Instagram account stated that Vavers has the ability to “nail outside shots.”
Vavers also has international experience playing with the Latvia U18, U19, and U20 national teams, an added bonus gearing up for competition in the West Coast Conference.
2024-2025 Season in Review
After being out most of the offseason and the majority of the first half of the season with injuries to his wrist and hands, Vavers had a solid first year with the program, scoring 5.6 points per game while playing 13.9 minutes per game. In his last five regular season games, he ended the season on an especially good note scoring nearly 10 points per contest. His best game of the year came in the WCC tournament during a 94-77 win against Loyola Marymount where he scored 16 points to go along with five rebounds and four made threes on five attempts.
Vavers lived up to his reputation as a dynamic shooter from long range for Washington State, nailing an impressive 47.9 percent from three last season, a mark even more remarkable considering 83 percent of his total shots came from behind the arc. He showed the ability to not only shoot off of the catch, but to shoot off of screens and to make pullup threes.
Good to see Rihards Vavers back on the floor! He checks in for the first time since the season opener, recovered from a left hand injury, and buries the triple!#GoCougs | 📺MWN pic.twitter.com/LR22E1b9LP— Washington State Men's Basketball (@WSUCougarsMBB) December 3, 2024
Areas of Improvement
Overall, Vavers was an impactful offensive player in 2024-25, posting the lowest turnover rate out of any Cougar at 9.8 percent and the second highest offensive rating on the team behind Cedric Cowherd, who is projected to be a first round pick. But while his jump shot can be an equalizer in games, he needs to improve his ability to put the ball on the floor and drive to the rim. If he could take the ball to the rack with more consistency, teams won't be able to close out nearly as tight on him, which will open things up at the three-point line for him and create potential drive and kick opportunities for teammates.
Improving as a defender would also be a major help for Vavers to earn more minutes on the court. At Quinnipiac, he posted the second worst box plus minus score and last season for Washington State, he finished with the worst defensive box plus minus score on the team. Even with impressive length, Vavers can look to improve his foot speed, as added quickness will make it easier for him to stay in front of offensive players and get out to opponents in defensive rotations.
Future Outlook
In limited time last year for the Cougars, Vavers showed promise as a floor-stretching forward who can light up the nets from downtown. With a healthy offseason to work on adding to his repertoire by being more capable of putting the ball on the deck, he should find himself in the rotation once again with a chance to be a significant contributor in the WCC. With the additions of Boise State wing Emmanuel Ugbo and Texas Tech forward Eemeli Yalaho, who are both plus defenders that came from highly regarded defensive programs, however, improving on the defensive side of the floor will be key for him to see a significant uptick in playing time to take full advantage of his offensive gifts.
