DeVries looking for right fits to fill West Virginia roster
Darian DeVries wants to establish a culture with his first roster at West Virginia.
It was a trademark of his time at Drake, and it is something that will be paramount as he transitions into his first year at the high major level in Morgantown.
“They fit together. It’s not about collecting talent, it’s about putting together a team and we will certainly work hard to do that over the next few days and weeks,” DeVries said.
Already DeVries has added a pair of players in his son Tucker, the two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, and true freshman guard KJ Tenner. Both players are ones that DeVries has become very familiar with due to their past ties and make sense in his plan to build the foundation of the roster.
While winning is paramount, DeVries wants to find the right mix of players that will represent the program in the right way both on and off the floor. That can best be defined as talent with intangibles.
“You put together a group of men like that in the locker room that equates to winning and we will have a locker room filled with winners,” he said. “And winners aren’t necessarily about scoring baskets.”
By that DeVries means that the players added to the roster will have a discipline, toughness and selflessness that has come to define his teams since becoming a head coach.
Clearly, DeVries understands success with a 150-55 record as a head coach and while that was at the mid-major level, winning is the same formula across the board.
“The things that matter for winning matter at every level,” he said.
The younger DeVries certainly fits that mold as a centerpiece to Bulldogs' success over the past three seasons. This past season, DeVries averaged 21.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while 44-percent and 36-percent from three. Over his career, Drake appeared in back-to-back NCAA Tournaments.
Tenner, 6-foot, 165-pounds, is on the smaller end physically for a high-major guard but is a proven scorer. Tenner is coming off a season where he averaged 21.2 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game in route to winning Mr. Basketball in Division 4A in Tennessee.
As a sophomore, Tenner averaged 28 points per game for Cordova High School in Memphis. Tenner opened his recruitment when DeVries left for Morgantown and didn’t hesitate to follow him when he was given the opportunity. That speaks to not only the connection but the belief in each other.
It makes sense considering DeVries has already said that high school recruiting will remain a key foundation to the roster build although he recognizes the importance of the transfer portal.
“Find really talented high school players that want to be here and get this,” DeVries said. “And retain them and have them have a great experience over the course of their careers here.”
Work is still ongoing to speak with current players and add other potential pieces but it’s clear that DeVries has a plan with constructing this and will stick to it.
“We will not sacrifice anything from a culture standpoint in any way shape or form in terms of filling a roster. We’re going to find the right guys to be here,” he said.
----------
• Talk about it with West Virginia fans on The Blue Lot.
• SUBSCRIBE today to stay up on the latest on Mountaineer sports and recruiting.
• Get all of our WVU videos on YouTube by subscribing to the WVSports.com Channel
• Follow us on Twitter: @WVSportsDotCom, @rivalskeenan
