DeVries excited over potential of transfer forward Hansberry
West Virginia head coach Darian DeVries is excited for the potential of Illinois transfer Amani Hansberry.
The sophomore forward committed to the Mountaineers in mid-April and is now on campus in Morgantown working with the rest of his teammates in preparation for the season.
And when asked about him on the College Hoops Today podcast with Jon Rothstein, DeVries didn’t hold back on how he could grow in his new role with West Virginia.
“I really like him. He’s a tremendous kid and works unbelievably hard. We can play him at multiple positions,” DeVries said. “We can play him at the four but also as kind of a small ball five.”
Hansberry, 6-foot-8, 240-pounds, spent only one season with the Illini where he appeared in 19 games while averaging 2.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in just seven minutes per contest. He shot 45-percent from the field.
Hansberry was well-liked in the Illini basketball program but was stuck in a logjam behind several veterans, however given strong pedigree as a highly recruited four-star prospect out of high school it’s an addition that could pay major dividends early on for the Mountaineers.
Rated as the No. 83rd rated player nationally by Rivals.com in the 2023 recruiting class and was named the 2023 Gatorade Maryland Player of the Year as a senior after averaging 15.3 points, 12.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists at Mount Saint Joseph High School.
The Mountaineers are banking that with increased usage, Hansberry can make good on that potential.
“He has the ability to stretch the floor, which if you’re undersized it’s a tremendous advantage to have somebody that can step out and shoot and draw bigger defenders out as he gets more comfortable playing out on the perimeter and playing out in space,” DeVries said.
And the hope is that has he becomes even more comfortable with the increased usage he should receive with the Mountaineers there is plenty of room to believe that he could take a major leap.
“I like his physicality and his motor on top of that,” DeVries said.
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