Former Kansas basketball player Joe Yesufu dealing with injury amid new school's ascent

When former Kansas basketball player Joe Yesufu transferred to Washington State this past offseason, nobody anticipated them to perform this well. Despite spending 56 years in the Pac-12, the Cougars reached the NCAA Tournament just five times in that span, and there was no reason to think they would in 2024, the year the conference will officially dissolve.

But despite ranking 10th out of 12 schools in the conference's preseason coaches poll, "Wazzu" now sits atop the league with a 12-4 record after upsetting No. 4 Arizona on their home court last night. Unfortunately for the former Jayhawk, he is not able to contribute to one of the best stories in college basketball.

After playing and starting six games for the Cougars with averages of 6.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, Yesufu suffered a severe hip injury that was supposed to keep him out for an extended period of time. Last month, WSU head coach Kyle Smith announced that he would miss the remainder of the campaign.

It is a tricky situation for the fifth-year senior, who is in his final season of collegiate eligibility. He can apply for a medical redshirt because he appeared in six of 31 regular season games, which fits the NCAA guidelines that require players to participate in fewer than 30% of the team's contests. Coach Smith remains unsure if he would qualify.

Yesufu contributed to Kansas' 2022 national championship-winning team and played in 69 games across his two years in Lawrence. He averaged 3.1 points and 1.0 rebound on 35.7% shooting after transferring in from Drake in 2021.

He cannot partake in games, but Yesufu can still root for his teammates while he waits to see if he is awarded another year. If the NCAA makes an exception and grants a medical hardship waiver for Yesufu, he will compete in the West Coast Conference among the likes of Gonzaga and Saint Mary's assuming he stays at Washington State.