Ayoka Lee isn't going anywhere just yet. The 6-foot-6 center out of Byron, Minnesota decided to make her return to Kansas State for her last year of college eligibility. Lee made her announcement on social media with the help of Kansas State women's basketball on social media with the caption "not done yet..."
Not done yet...@Yokie50 x #kstatewbb pic.twitter.com/MiEoKixBw7
— K-State Women's Basketball (@KStateWBB) April 8, 2024
Lee will be returning for her seventh season with the Wildcats which if it seems like a lot, it is. Lee started at K-State in 2018, but in her first year redshirted as a true freshman. Lee then played the next season, but it was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic giving Lee another year of eligibility. Then in the 2022-2023 season, Lee tore her ACL knocking her out for the year and giving her the ability to medical redshirt that year.
So with three extra years of eligibility, Lee can come back and play one more season under head coach Jeff Mittie. With the majority of the Kansas State squad sticking around next year, the Wildcats will now only lose seniors Gabby Gregory and Rebekah Dallinger. Lee will be able to team up with Serena Sundell for another year.
Lee was having an amazing season heading into Big 12 play until she needed ankle surgery in late January that put her out for at least a month. After coming back, Lee was still a force to be reckoned with and was instrumental in getting the Wildcats home-court advantage in the NCAA Women's Tournament.
In what many thought would be her last season in purple, Lee finished the year averaging 19.7 points per game, 8.6 rebounds per game, and shot 61.9% from the floor. Lee also finished the season with 75 blocks which is the sixth most in program history and is her third season with 75 or more blocks.
If Lee can stay healthy in her final season she could be in line to break even more records than she has in her past six years. She also could help her WNBA draft stock if she should choose to play at the pro level after college.