West Virginia head coach Josh Eilert is keeping an open mind about possible additions to the roster.
The Mountaineers are exploring avenues for a mid-year addition to the roster with a possible shooting guard or big being the primary focus in a perfect world.
But that last part is important because sifting through what’s available to try to add somebody at this stage of the game is more difficult than it seems.
In large part because many of those players that are available are that way for a reason.
“The slam dunk is almost impossible at this point because a slam dunk wouldn’t be available. So, it’s just a matter of can he help you or can he not?” Eilert said.
That question is complex in itself as any possible mid-semester addition would have to prove capable of being able to compete in the rugged Big 12 Conference while also being able to catch up on what the Mountaineers are trying to do with the playbook on both ends of the floor.
Related: Akok Akok's return to the court and how much it means to WVU
That second part is a challenge even for some of the current pieces on the roster so it’s difficult to imagine a lot of options out there that are going to be able to step in and contribute immediately.
“It’s a stretch in a lot of ways,” Eilert said.
But that hasn’t stopped the program from hunting.
With nine scholarship players currently available, Eilert said that if an opportunity does present itself and makes sense it is something that the Mountaineers will absolutely pursue. That could be a potential transfer, a postgraduate player that becomes immediately eligible and a number of other avenues.
But with that comes eligibility concerns, too, and the snags that can cause. Compliance plays a role in determining those situations and is a key part of that process.
“There’s not a lot of guys out there shining from all angles,” Eilert said.
Still, Eilert is steadfast that even with the current depth issues the coaching staff isn’t looking to just add somebody to the mix just to take a chance on them.
The Mountaineers did receive good news with Akok Akok being cleared to return to the floor after a medical emergency that sidelined him since the Exhibition game. Akok had been trending in a positive direction and now will be back in the rotation.
The next biggest form of immediate relief will come from others already on the roster. By now it’s known that point guard Kerr Kriisa will return for the Dec. 16 Massachusetts game which will help the entire offense not only from a depth perspective but with his ability to see the floor and distribute.
West Virginia built the offense around Kriisa’s ability to find his teammates which should automatically improve the field goal percentage with him running the point. That’s no knock on what Kobe Johnson has been able to do in his stead, but Kriisa’s return will allow him to play more off-the-ball and provide a second handler on the floor to help the offensive flow for the Mountaineers.
There also is the ongoing fight for RaeQuan Battle to become eligible but that remains up in the air at this stage.
----------
• 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, @ZAndersonJRL
