DJ Clayton requests release from WKU

Freshman guard DJ Clayton dunks during the slam dunk contest at Hilltopper Hysteria on Oct. 18 at Diddle Arena. The event featured player introductions for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, scrimmages, a three-point contest and a slam dunk contest. Brandon Carter/HERALD

Billy Rutledge

Freshman guard DJ Clayton has requested his release to transfer from the WKU basketball program, according to Zach Greenwell of the Bowling Green Daily News. 

Clayton averaged 4.1 points in 16.1 minutes per game in his freshman campaign as a Hilltopper making 29 appearances and two starts vs UAB and Middle Tennessee. Clayton was expected to be a major contributor to WKU next season after the graduation of senior guards T.J. Price and Trency Jackson.

WKU released a statement Sunday saying it won’t comment on potential transfers until after the spring semester. 

Clayton, a 6-6 184 pound guard out of Oakland, California, had his best production early in the season in a 14 and a career-high 15 points production against Louisville and Marshall. Clayton will now become the third Hilltopper player to leave the program since the beginning of the 2014-15 season. 

Guards Ayinde Sprewell and Kevin Kasper left the program in December, which led to Clayton’s increased role on the WKU squad. WKU now has three remaining guards on the roster in walk-on sophomore Brandon Price, freshman Avery Patterson and sophomore Chris Harrison-Docks, who was cited for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia on March 23.