Kansas State center Ayoka Lee will forgo entering the WNBA Draft and step away from basketball. Lee announced the decision on her Instagram account on Thursday evening.
"It's important to listen to what your body whispers to you before it begins to scream at you," Lee wrote. "For this reason, I've decided to forgo the draft and explore this next season of life apart from basketball."
Lee spent the last five seasons anchoring K-State's paint, starting 136 games during that stretch. She'll leave the program as arguably their best player and a likely candidate to have her No. 50 retired.
However, injuries have plagued her career, keeping her off the floor for significant stretches. She missed the end of the regular season and the Big 12 Tournament with injuries to both feet this season.
Lee returned for the NCAA Tournament, helping K-State reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2002. In the First Round, Lee posted a 17-point double-double, making seven of her ten field goal attempts. She also had a double-double in the Sweet 16.
Despite the injuries, Lee is among the most decorated players in Big 12 women's basketball history. She finishes her college career as a three-time All-American, including an honorable mention designation this season. Lee is also a four-time first-team all-conference honoree and a two-time Big 12 All-Defensive Team member.
She'll also graduate as K-State's career leader in points, scoring 2,533 points over her career. That includes the NCAA record for points in a game after Lee scored 61 against Oklahoma as a junior in 2021.
After the Sweet 16, Lee declined to comment about her future in basketball, telling the media that it was a "tomorrow question." Head coach Jeff Mittie said they would discuss her future after the tournament.
"I don't know what the future holds for her," Mittie said. "She has been an amazing person in that she has always wanted to be where her feet are and not think too far ahead.
"She's got a unique ability to do that. Even though she's a planner, and in her professional career, she's already a family therapist and already seeing clients, and she can see down the road. But she also knows how important it is to be in the moment."
Lee was not projected to be a first-round pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft but likely would have found herself on a roster during the preseason.
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