Ofri Naveh, the 6'6'', 225 pound Israeli freshman made his college basketball debut Monday night in the Mountaineer's 67-59 win over Missouri State.
Due in part to a limited roster, Naveh was thrown right into the mix, logging 22 minutes for the Mountaineers. Though finishing with just four points, two rebounds, and two assists in that span, his confidence and leadership made a big impression on his teammates and head coach.
"He's been awesome. He certainly didn't have his best game out there tonight, he made a few mistakes, but I know I can count on Ofri. I've talked about it several different times. He really does have a high basketball IQ... one of the highest I've seen come through here as a freshman," said head coach Josh Eilert.
"He provides poise which is crazy for a freshman," said Jesse Edwards, with Seth Wilson and Quinn Slazinski chiming in with enthusiastic agreement. "He is really a veteran in a freshman body at this point. He just knows what to do," added Edwards, also a European native.
This poise and basketball knowledge could, in part, be attributed to his participation in the 2023 FIBA U18 European Championship, where he averaged 11 points, seven rebounds, 1.4 assists, two steals, and a block per game, while shooting 54 percent from the field and 47 percent from 3-point range. Over the course of seven games he faced a variety of competition, including double digit games against Lithuania, France and Turkey, with double-doubles against Greece and Sweden.
"We've gotten incredibly lucky to have Ofri on our team," said Slazinski, noting how Ofri barely spoke to anyone the first three weeks that he got to training and now he's a confident and a vocal leader for the group.
"You go in at halftime and he's one of the main guys saying stuff like 'shots are gonna fall' and 'keep your head up'... he's the one talking and it's great to see," said Seth Wilson. "We're blessed to have him."
At just 18 years old (he won't turn 19 until the season is over), Naveh has plenty of room left for growth and development, and with the mentality that he carries himself with, his coach believes that the sky is the limit.
"Once his body continues to develop he's going to be a very special player. He's already a special player but as long as he has that growth mindset and continues to get better, he might be one of the best to ever play here as we move forward. That's a big thing to say but that's how much I believe in him," said Eilert.
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