David Riley had left the door ajar for Adria Rodriguez's potential return to Washington State next season, but that chapter closed on Wednesday. The 6-4 senior guard inked a deal with Hiopos Lleida, a professional team in Spain, as confirmed by the team's Instagram page. Rodriguez is set to join them for the remainder of this season and the next two years.
Playing in Liga ACB, Spain's top basketball league, the team has 12 games left this season according to eurobasket.com.
Rodriguez's journey at WSU was a rollercoaster. He wrapped up the season averaging 3.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, along with 1.1 steals. Impressively, his 26.9 percent assist rate led the team by a significant margin.
Though he faced challenges in non-conference play and early in the WCC schedule, Rodriguez found his stride over his final 13 games, except against Gonzaga. During these games, he tallied 73 assists and only 14 turnovers, while grabbing 45 rebounds.
Rodriguez also emerged as a solid offensive rebounder, boasting a 7.3 percent mark in WCC play.
However, his shooting remained a hurdle. Despite having a decent first step and the ability to finish at the rim, his shooting range was limited. His 45.9 percent from two-point range was the lowest on the team, and he struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 1-of-15 and attempting only three triples in his last 17 games-one being a half-court buzzer beater.
This shooting limitation posed challenges for the WSU offense, particularly when paired with ND Okafor, another player not known for outside shooting.
WSU did find success with Rodriguez in the middle of a 2-3 zone. His passing prowess allowed him to create numerous scoring opportunities despite his lack of a jump shot.
Before his time at Wazzu, Rodriguez played for HLA Alicante in Spain's second division, a league featuring familiar names like Alonzo Verge Jr., Matt Haarms, and Amidah Brimah.
The team he joins now includes Loyola Chicago standout Cameron Krutwig and Melvin Ejim, brother of former Gonzaga women's basketball star Yvonne Ejim.
With Rodriguez turning pro, Washington State has three open roster spots for next year. However, this could change depending on Simon Hildebrandt's eligibility decision and Casey Jones' return from a mission, presumably set for the 2026-27 season.