PULLMAN — Washington State men’s basketball center Dishon Jackson, a strong defender and capable scorer the past two seasons, announced Monday on WSU social media that he would be “released ‘indefinite absence’ due to an unspecified medical problem.
It’s “too early to tell” whether Jackson will return during the 2022-23 season, coach Kyle Smith said Monday.
“There are some things I really can’t address, but the most important thing is keeping him healthy,” Smith said. “It’s disappointing in a sense: he made so much progress over the summer and he was really looking forward to it, just like us.
“We just play it by ear and he works. He will do everything he can to return, but the timetable is undetermined.
The 6-foot-10, 250-pound Jackson arrived at WSU before the 2020 season as a four-star recruit from St. Patrick-St. Vincent High in the Bay Area. One of the 20 highest-rated signees in program history, Jackson immediately earned a playing role. He appeared in 49 games over the past two seasons, starting 19, and provided the Cougars with a physical presence at the position.
Jackson averaged 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game during his rookie campaign. He recorded per game averages of 6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks as a sophomore last season.
Jackson missed 10 games midway through the season after suffering an eye injury Jan. 8 at Utah. The injury required surgery. Wearing athletic goggles, Jackson returned to the lineup on Feb. 20 against USC and added stability to WSU’s frontcourt, helping the Cougars post their best finish in a decade – a 22-year season. victories that ended in the NIT semifinals in New York.
“It’s definitely going to change the way we play because he was kind of the anchor of our low post,” Smith said. “He doesn’t want to make a big deal about himself. … We want him to come back as soon as he can.
In a statement posted to Twitter, Jackson asked WSU fans to “please respect my privacy and my process” while he resolves the issue.
“I don’t want to draw undue attention to myself or distract my team,” he wrote. “My inner circle of friends and family understands and gives me the support I need. I want to move forward in the process. No one needs to feel sympathy or pity for me. I’m sure people will want to contact us and send their wishes via text or social media. I know you’re behind me, but I have to move forward.
“I will return better than ever at some point in the future and will let the community know in due course. I appreciate all the love and support everyone at Pullman has shown.
With Jackson out of the lineup, the Cougars will shift responsibilities in their frontcourt and “force-feed” reps to newcomer Adrame Diongue.
Returning starter Mouhamed Gueye, a versatile 6-11 sophomore who excelled defensively last season and tested the NBA draft waters this offseason, will be heavily relied upon as WSU’s frontcourt leader . Smith said Gueye would play center and forward.
“Mohamed feels good,” Smith said. “He will be this elegant “four”. We’re going to downsize a bit out of necessity and play him at center, using some of his versatility there.
A 7-foot four-star player, Diongue signed with WSU this offseason and is the Cougars’ No. 2 recruit over the past two decades, according to 247Sports.com. The Senegal native will take on an important role as a rookie.
“He came in with a lot of expectations, just because of his recruitment,” Smith said of Diongue. “He’s thin, so it’s going to be tough, but he’s got really good feel on both sides of the ball. Very good speed. It is really light, similar in size – in height and length – to Mouhamed’s.
Forward Mael Hamon-Crespin is also expected to play key minutes in his first season. The 6-9 French native has impressive experience playing against talented international competition and should be a reliable option for WSU’s frontcourt off the bench.
“It actually has some girth. He weighs 250 pounds,” Smith said. “We need to bring these guys in.” We will have to play (Gueye) at the “four” and play with a certain size, if it is our best team.
Veteran wingers Andrej Jakimovski and DJ Rodman could slide into the frontcourt for stretches of time, Smith said.
“The perimeter guys, I feel a little more comfortable with their age and experience,” the fourth-year coach said. “We just need to keep the young and the older moving forward.”
