West Virginia constructing new basketball roster
The West Virginia basketball program has already undergone almost a complete roster transformation from a season ago.
Gone from the program is the previous coaching staff and all but one player in sophomore Ofri Naveh represents the only returning piece on the roster.
It’s understandable considering the coaching change with new head coach Darian DeVries taking over the program but it’s still eye-opening to see unfold.
But DeVries and his coaching staff still have quite a bit of work to do.
The Mountaineers currently sit with six scholarship players on the roster, five of which have been added in the past few weeks. That process is still very much a work in progress but the coaching staff has been able to add some critical pieces in the construction of the roster build.
The first piece came in the form of the head coach’s son in Drake forward Tucker DeVries.
DeVries was named the Missouri Valley Player of the Year this past season averaging 21.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Bulldogs this past season. He also was named the MVC Player of the Year the previous season where he averaged 18.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
As a true freshman, DeVries was named the MVC Freshman of the Year after he led the Bulldogs at 13.9 points per game and scored in double figures in 30 games that season. DeVries is one of the top-rated players that has entered the transfer portal this off-season but elected to follow his father.
The 6-foot-7, 210-pounder is a very nice building block especially when you pair him with University of Illinois Chicago transfer guard Toby Okani. The 6-foot-8, 210-pounder, is coming off a season where he averaged 11.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game for the Flames while shooting 39-percent from the floor and 32-percent from three.
The talented wing is somebody and DeVries is familiar with after squaring off against him on the floor. Okani also made an impact on defense averaging 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals and earning MVC Defensive team honors in the process showcasing his versatility on both ends of the floor.
West Virginia prioritized Okani and was able to beat out LSU, Virginia, St. Bonaventure and Peppederine in addition to a number of other programs.
The Mountaineers also have added a pair of young and talented pieces from the transfer portal from Illinois in guard Sencire Harris and forward Amani Hansberry. Both were top 100 prospects nationally in their respective recruiting classes and give the Mountaineers high-upside transfer additions with three years of eligibility remaining in their careers. Both have the potential to take major leaps this coming season.
Harris redshirted last season but proved productive during his first year with Illinois as he played in all 33 games and even started seven of those while averaging 3.7 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. He also shot 43-percent from the field and 31-percent from three during that campaign. Known as a defensive specialist, Harris possesses excellent length and plays the game with a high energy level that fits what the Mountaineers want on that end of the floor.
A native of Canton, Ohio, Harris averaged 20.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.8 steals as a senior for St. Vincent-St. Mary. He led his team to consecutive Ohio Division II state championships. He was rated as the No. 64th best player in the country in the class of 2022 according to Rivals.com.
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 and has a strong pedigree considering he was a consensus four-star prospect out of high school.
A skilled big, Hansberry has excellent mobility and is a crafty finisher around the rim. He scored eight points against Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament this past season.
Hansberry was 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 final addition came from the high school ranks in Memphis (Tn.) Cordova 2024 guard KJ Tenner who followed DeVries from Drake. Tenner has shown the ability to score the basketball at a high clip averaging 21.2 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game en route to winning Mr. Basketball in Division 4A in Tennessee.
It’s been almost a complete roster haul in Morgantown but the coaches have been actively targeting other players from the portal, too. And with as many as seven slots still open to fill there’s a lot of work left to do when it comes to rounding things out for the 2024-25 campaign.
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