Erkins-Ford set to bring flexibility and fire to WKU MBB
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – After the final buzzer sounded on the 2025-26 season, WKU men’s basketball got to work in the transfer portal, and one of the newest members of head coach Hank Plona’s team is set to bring power to the paint and the perimeter.
“ I think his ability to score is unique, but I think he’s a complete player. I think he’s a really good passer. I think he’s an offensive weapon that we probably haven’t had in a couple years, and I think that he’s going to be a big part of our success,” Coach Plona said.
The Tops got a front row seat to prized transfer addition Emondrek Erkins-Ford last season, facing the big man twice in Conference USA play with Jacksonville State.
The Chicago-based product out of Bloom Trail High School spent one season with the Gamecocks.
While he brings physical skills to the court, he brings even more when it comes to his CUSA intel.
“Yeah, just knowing like certain teams, their play styles, how they like to play, their coaches, what’s peoples’ weaknesses, you know, from the returners from last year,” Erkins-Ford said. “Yeah, it definitely helps.”
As far as gameplay goes, Erkins-Ford brought an efficient product to the hardwood, making 53% of his shots and ranking 19th across the league with his 113.7 offensive rating.
Needless to say, that’s someone Coach Plona and his staff felt would be a great fit on The Hill.
“We literally probably targeted him in recruiting because at 6’9″ he can score in a lot of different ways,” Coach Plona said. “He can score at the rim. Being a left-handed player, he’s kind of unique and quirky, so he kind of catches people off guard and obviously he can shoot the ball all the way out to the three-point line.”
“I feel like I could just do a little bit of, like, everything,” Erkins-Ford said. “Whether I can defend, rebound, have to switch, shoot the ball, play inside, pass. That’s just, like, what I mirror my game after, just like no weaknesses type of thing.”
Arguably the most important trait he possesses is the fire that fuels him.
An always positive, always outgoing personality that not only lifts his game, but that of the rest of the Toppers as well.
“I know that when you bring energy to a team and everything, when you have highs and lows, that’ll affect the team. So, I just try to be the same guy every day, it’s what I’m working towards,” Erkins-Ford said.
“You know, just doing the same things every day to be that guy.”
