Rhode Island Elite Head Coach Nick Light has seen Kelvin Odih develop since he joined the program in the seventh grade and he’s already made significant strides when it comes to his overall game.
But the best is almost assuredly still to come.
Odhi, 6-foot-4, 190-pounds, committed to West Virginia over a long list of schools including Rutgers, Louisville, Oklahoma State, Creighton, and Colorado. His skill set is one that should be a great match for what head coach Darian DeVries wants to do on both ends of the floor.
That’s because the Rivals.com four-star prospect is a versatile option on both ends that has become known for his overall toughness and competitive nature.
“He’s a hard-working dude that gets it out of the mud. Real blue-collar which I think West Virginia fans are going to love a lot. Very versatile defender that can defend the one through four,” Light said. “I’ve been doing this a pretty long time now and he’s the best rebounding guard I’ve ever seen.”
While Odhi has always been known as a junkyard dog type who prides himself on doing the tough-nosed things such as rebounding and defense, where he has made the biggest strides is on the offensive end of the floor. He has made significant improvement in both his ball-handling as well as his playmaking ability on top of his ability to shoot the basketball.
Odhi is strong in transition, can get downhill and has the athleticism to make plays at the rim on offense. But some other areas where he passes the test is with his passing as well as his shooting ability both in catch-and-shoot situations and in the midrange.
“He’s an excellent passer. He makes great treads off the pick and roll and gets his teammates involved,” Light said. “And he can shoot the ball. So, I think he’s somebody West Virginia fans are going to love.”
And as those things continue to develop even further it raises his ceiling even more in the future.
“I think right away he's a guy that's going to defend and rebound and do the dirty things to win but as his shooting and playmaking and handling continues to improve he’s a guy in two to three years could be really special,” Light said.
Odhi simply does what it takes to win but he’s also played the game with high character and has shown the ability to be coached hard. Light has never had any issues with him on or off the floor.
The fit with West Virginia is one that is a good match on all levels as assistant Tom Ostrom developed the initial relationship and DeVries was able to cement where the Mountaineers fit in the picture. Ostrom visited Odhi multiple times and he felt at home with the coaching staff and the program.
The fact that the Mountaineers want to use a fast-paced offensive style that values rebounding only further cemented that choice.
“It just felt like the place to be and then you start looking at the basketball stuff and how Kelvin not only fits the coach but the historical culture for West Virginia it made a lot of sense,” Light said. “The last time a player from Rhode Island went to West Virginia they went to the Final Four so hopefully history repeats itself.”
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