Ayoka Lee returns to Kansas State with chance to be new ‘face of women’s basketball’
After two weeks of internal debate, Ayoka Lee made up her mind.
She wanted to return to college and play one final season with the Kansas State women’s basketball team.
Her decision was big news for a great number of people, so she began sharing her plans on Sunday afternoon. First came a call to Wildcats coach Jeff Mittie. Next up were text messages to her teammates.
Everyone was happy to have her back. K-State should be among the favorites to win the Big 12 next season with their star center back in the fold. There was much to celebrate.
The only thing left to do was for Lee to announce her plans more publicly. But how? And when?
Mittie had an idea. Why not post something on social media that night? South Carolina had just defeated Caitlin Clark and Iowa in a national championship game that set ratings records with nearly 19 million viewers. Women’s basketball was in the spotlight.
Perhaps Lee could add even more excitement by announcing her plans to return.
“Ayoka is one of those players going into next year that will have an opportunity to be the face of women’s basketball,” Mittie said. “Certainly, you look at Paige Bueckers and JuJu Watkins and I think that Ayoka is in that next category of next players who can help with that for college athletics. I am excited about that and, selfishly, I’m thrilled that she’s back at Kansas State.”
Lee figures to be one of the most recognizable players in women’s college basketball next season.
The senior from Byron, Minnesota averaged 19.7 points and 8.6 rebounds this year and guided the Wildcats to a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Before that, she scored 61 points during an unforgettable game against Oklahoma in 2022 and she earned All-America honors from many different media outlets.
K-State should be able to reload ahead of next season with her once at patrolling the paint.
That is certainly what she is expecting. Lee has big goals in mind, including going out with a Big 12 championship.
“There are a lot of goals we didn’t accomplish this year that we wanted,” Lee said. “Having the opportunity to come back and have another chance to do those was a big part of my decision.”
The Wildcats finished third in the Big 12 standings this season and bowed out of the NCAA Tournament in the Round of 32. Going a step further next season would be a sweet way for Lee to end things.
She had other options, including the WNBA Draft or pursuing a career outside of sports. After spending six seasons at K-State she had to at least consider other possibilities. But she is healthy and still having fun with her teammates.
Her coach also promised to help manage her basketball workload next season by giving her the occasional game off. Mittie also joked (we think) that Lee was allowed to bring her pet dog — a bernedoodle named Bram — to every practice next season.
Lee used that as an excuse to show off her dog during a news conference with reporters on Tuesday.
“He’s going to get pretty big,” she said. “His first birthday is on Christmas.”
Lee was certainly relaxed while she explained her decision to return to K-State. But she knows lots of work is in her future if she wants to be a national star and help the Wildcats reach a new level of success.
“I think it’s excited where the women’s game is at,” Lee said. “I think it’s exciting where women’s basketball is at in Manhattan with what we’ve been able to build.
“I’ve never really been one to talk to the talk. I would rather let my game speak for itself. In that case, it’s the same thing. That’s only going to come if we do the work and I do the work. Focusing more on that instead of the big picture is probably where my mind goes.”