Jakimovski returns ahead of the 2021-22 season

PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State men's basketball has brought back sophomore forward Andrej Jakimovski (Kriva Palanka, North Macedonia) as announced by head coach Kyle Smith. Jakimovski rejoins the team after briefly leaving the program in June.
 
"'Once a Coug, Always a Coug!'", said Smith. "Never has a slogan been more appropriate. We are thrilled to announce the return of Andrej Jakimovski to Washington State. Andrej was and is an important part of our program. He has an awesome attitude, a relentless work ethic, and possesses incredible pride in our program. He gives us an excellent playmaker who has played all five positions and is most comfortable making plays with the ball in his hands as a guard. He showed Coug nation what he is capable of when he had 18 assists during our Cal/Stanford homestand last year. We are humbled and grateful that Andrej has 'found his way back home.'"

As a freshman, Jakimovski played in 25 games while starting 19 contests. He averaged 5.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 25.2 minutes per game, the highest minute per game average for any freshman on the year. The big freshman scored in double figures in eight games including notching a season-best 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting (5-of-9 from deep) at Stanford, Jan. 9, 2021. He flirted with a triple-doubles vs Cal, Feb. 18, 2021 with 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists and two days later against Stanford, Feb. 20, with 11 points, six rebounds, and nine assists in 51 minutes of play.