PULLMAN – Ernie Kent took the first step toward rebuilding his Washington State basketball roster on Wednesday, signing small forward Aljaz ‘Jaz’ Kunc out of Impact Basketball Academy in Sarasota, Florida.
Kunc is originally from Ljubljana, Slovenia, and becomes the first international player signed by Kent, other than Canadian-born guard Jamar Ergas. He stands 6-foot-8, weighs 190 pounds and projects as an inside-out player who can give the Cougars a vertical presence in the post and step outside to shoot the 3-pointer.
The Cougars likely need to replace five scholarship players from the 2017-18 roster. Graduate transfer point forward Drick Bernstine and former walk-on guard Steven Shpreyregin both ran out of eligibility, Ergas and fellow guard Malachi Flynn both elected to leave the basketball program and leading scorer Robert Franks, a versatile forward, declared for the NBA without an agent but has hinted that he’ll forego his senior season in order to pursue a pro career.