Quinnipiac Transfer Rihards Vavers Could be a Long-Range Threat for Washington State

One of many new faces with Washington State, Vavers could be an impact player after a productive freshman year in the Metro American Athletic Conference..

Keenan Womack | Aug 10, 2024

Jan 29, 2020; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars mascot perform during a basketball game against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the second half at Beasley Coliseum. The Cougars won 67-65. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports / James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

After coming to the United States from Latvia, Rihards Vavers played for Archbishop Carroll in Washington, DC, as well as The Skill Factory in Atlanta, garnering a handful of offers from non-Power 5 schools like Quinnipiac, Drexel, and Binghamton.

Eventually committing to the Quinnipiac Bobcats out of the prep ranks, he played a decent amount his freshman season – in 17.5 minutes per game, Vavers put up 7.5 points and 2.8 rebounds, shooting 37.3% from deep on four attempts per game and making opponents pay for going under screens against him.

A sharpshooter by nature, Vavers finished fifth on the team in points per game playing as a true freshman, his role being a spot-up shooter that finds open looks on the perimeter.

Standing at 6-foot-8, he has positional size for a wing player. With better pieces around him at Washington State, he may have more opportunities to fill it up from beyond the arc.

Though 83% of his jumpshot attempts were off the catch according to Synergy Sports, the 17% of shots he took off of the bounce proved to be successful. Though not a player that can truly create for himself off of the dribble yet, he is a player that can convert on these occasional opportunities given the chance.

Of the 10 shots he took under this category, he hit six of them, so the sample size is limited, but the results are positive. In David Riley's system, Vavers will have plenty of opportunities, as Eastern Washington finished in the top 60 in the country in three-point rate per game – nearly 43% of their shots were from deep.

Given the offense in which he will be playing, which relies on off-ball screening and non-dribble ball movement, Vavers will have his chances to make an impact. If he can maintain his three-point percentage around where he was last season, he can be a real rotation player for the Cougars this year.

Published Aug 10, 2024

KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.