A Grand Return

By: D. Scott Fritchen

Here's the thing about Kansas State senior center Ayoka Lee: She's awesome. Of course, we already knew that given what she means to the NCAA, to women's college basketball, and to the K-State community. Yes, she was a 2022 All-American. She scored a NCAA Division I-record 61 points in a single game. We've seen that soft turnaround jumpshot in the lane too many times to count. We've seen her run up and down the court and rebound and deliver devastating blocks. We thought we'd seen it all.

Then at 6:31 p.m. on Monday we witnessed for the first time in 595 days her take the court in an official game that counted in the win-loss column, and, well, that was awesome in itself, and it was one of those moments you don't quite forget on an opening night of college basketball. At 6-foot-6, Lee casts a shadow, and how we had missed that shadow towering over opposing players for many, many days. That's what the injured right knee took away. Lee's last official game was against N.C. State in the 2022 NCAA Tournament on March 21, 2022. Wow, what a long time that feels like.

Here's the thing about Ayoka Lee: She's determined. Yes, it was August 25, 2022, when Lee and K-State head coach Jeff Mittie announced in a joint press release that she would miss the 2022-23 season. She had battled a right knee injury for two years. They'd been hopeful a summer procedure and extended rest would allow her to play. Unfortunately, that didn't work. So Lee underwent season-ending knee surgery. Boom. A year of rehabilitation.

"There were definitely times during rehab where I was like, 'Is this going to get better?'" she says. "But truly my teammates, trainers and coaches just continuing to be with me every step, and walking with me through it, and doing the workouts with me, and having those conversations of, 'This is where I want to be better,' is so helpful.

"I couldn't have asked for a better experience with our staff and my teammates."

Guess what? She had 20 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in 20 minutes in the Wildcats' 79-65 exhibition win last Friday.

"To me (the emotions came) on Friday, because it was the first (game) against another opponent," K-State head coach Jeff Mittie says. "Even though it didn't count, it counted in her eyes and it sure counted in my eyes. She wasn't able to play in our closed scrimmage. She wasn't quite ready for that. Particularly with the crowd, it gave her a good ovation when she came into the game. For any kid that gets hurt, but for her to battle back, yeah, it was pretty special to see her back on the floor."

Here's the thing about Ayoka Lee: She's officially back. Monday was the official on-court comeback, and it was a wonderful thing to witness during the Wildcats' 69-35 season-opening win against Presbyterian at Bramlage Coliseum. Lee had a game-high 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks in 22 minutes.

"Definitely feelings of excitement," Lee says. "A lot of peace around knowing that this is where I'm supposed to be with my teammates and lots of gratitude for the opportunity. My teammates still trusting me through having a full year off — it's really encouraging.

"I'm grateful and appreciative."

K-State plays at Little Rock at 1 p.m. Saturday, then travels to face Iowa on November 16 before returning to meet Wisconsin on November 19 in Manhattan.

And Lee will attack each and every game with her teammates.

Here's the thing about Ayoka Lee: She loves her team.

"Yokie loves the grind with her teammates," Mittie says. "And it's a really interesting thing. You'll hear her in interviews reference it constantly, just loving being in the battle with her teammates, and love being in the grind, and doing hard things with them, and you know, that's rare for players to really embrace that.

"She has such a maturity to her on that side of things. She knows those are going to be the moments she remembers. Certainly she'll remember big moments in games, but there are so many more moments with your teammates. Just to see her celebrate with her teammates, I'm looking forward to seeing a lot more of that and looking forward to seeing her continue to get better and better."

Lee is the leader of a squad that was picked fourth in the Big 12 Preseason Poll. Her and fifth-year senior guard Gabby Gregory were named Preseason All-Big 12 and junior point guard Serena Sundell was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention pick. The Glenn twins — Brylee Glenn and Jaelyn Glenn — are juniors and are expected to be as talented as ever. Gisela Sanchez is healthy and eager to prove herself. Meanwhile, the Wildcats should be helped by a pair of Louisville transfers in guard Zyanna Walker and 6-foot-3 forward Imani Lester. There's ample potential for this team to go places in March.

In the season opener, Walker came alive with 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-3 on 3-point attempts. Jaelyn Glenn added 11 points, six rebounds and four steals.

Then there's Lee, who is adoringly known as "Yokie" to her team and her fans.

"Physically, I've said (she's at) 85%. I think the only way to get to 100% (is playing on the court)," Mittie says. "There's nothing more the strength coach can do and nothing else the trainers or any of that stuff, she's cleared of all that stuff, it's just basketball and being back on the floor and with traffic around her and getting her feel back. I don't know how long it'll take, but I'm going to bet on Yokie."

So much will be written about this team, seemingly destined for the AP Top 25 and looking to make a run in the Big 12 this season.

Here's the thing about Ayoka Lee: So much is left to be written. The knee brace, which covered her right knee for so long, is gone. A new chapter awaits.

"It's freeing," she says. "After every rehab that I've been through the goal has always been to play without a knee brace. The difference the past two seasons that I've played is the condition of my knee was in that in between where the brace helped. Anything that was going to help — do it. I like playing without the brace."

The native of Byron, Minnesota, is just the second player in K-State history to reach 1,600 points, 850 rebounds and 225 blocks in a career.

Lee joins Nicole Ohlde as the only players in school history to reach 450 points, 200 rebounds and 45 blocks in at least three different seasons. She became the first player in school history to reach 700 points, 300 rebounds and 90 blocks en route to All-American honors in 2021-22.

She is currently the school's all-time leader in averaging 19.1 points and 10.2 rebounds in her career. She's on pace to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 300 blocks at K-State. Her next double-double will give her 50 in her career.

It's awesome. All of it. But that's for another day.

"I think we're going to see a big jump here in the next month," Mittie says, "and I'm looking forward to that."

For now, cue the applause. Let it ring all season long. Here's the thing about Ayoka Lee: She's just getting started.

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Brylee Glenn

Jaelyn Glenn

Gabby Gregory

Ayoka Lee

Imani Lester

Gisela Sanchez

Serena Sundell

Zyanna Walker

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