Bock: Ball is in WVU’s Court to Secure Jesse Edwards’ Commitment

West Virginia basketball heads into the weekend with a great opportunity to win the transfer portal over the next couple of days. WVU will host a visit for one of the best transfers available, Jesse Edwards from Syracuse. With Edwards not having any other visits scheduled currently, it is important that the Mountaineers receive a commitment from the 6-foot-11 big man by the end of the weekend.

Here’s why.

Edwards arrives in West Virginia on Friday hours after releasing his top-3 list. The Syracuse transfer listed WVU with Kansas and Gonzaga as his finalists for his recruitment. Kansas or Gonzaga have not scheduled any visits for Edwards. Visits are important in the transfer portal as the recruit’s window to consider options is far much shorter than a high school prospect. Edwards entered the transfer portal on Tuesday and within 16 hours of being in the NCAA’s system, West Virginia scheduled a visit for the highly-touted big man.

The ball is in West Virginia’s court.

If West Virginia can successfully host Edwards and show the Syracuse transfer what the program is all about, then they’ll put themselves in a great position to win the recruitment. WVU G Jose Perez will serve as Edwards’ host this weekend. Perez was Kerr Kriisa’s player host, who transferred from Arizona to WVU on April 5.

To say West Virginia could use Edwards would be an understatement. According to EvanMiya, Edwards is ranked as the No. 5 best player available in the transfer portal. The native of the Netherlands averaged 14.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in 32 games for the Orange during his senior year. Edwards shot 59 percent from the field, taking the majority of his shots in the paint.

Edwards has an incredible athletic ability to go up for lobs and block shots at the rim.

If paired with returning forward Tre Mitchell, it should be an easy transition as Mitchell can stretch the floor. Edwards scores most of his points in the paint so there shouldn’t be much clogging. West Virginia would have two fifth-year seniors in the frontcourt who both averaged double figures this past season. Mix that with veteran guards Kriisa, Perez and Joe Toussaint, that’s a great core.

West Virginia also hosts Iowa State transfer guard Caleb Grill starting on Sunday, the day that Edwards leaves. If WVU can get a commitment from Edwards as Grill arrives in town, the momentum could help Grill’s recruitment as well. Grill is also visiting Missouri this weekend. Grill, who would be going into his fifth year of college, shot 37 percent from three, averaging 9.5 points for the Cyclones.

WVU’s coaching staff has once again hit the transfer portal running. Director of Recruiting Jay Kuntz has been able to get in contact with the portal entries and get the ball rolling on those recruitments. Kuntz has also used players as a resource to recruit. Edwards has been in talks with some of the current Mountaineers this week before he arrives on campus.

West Virginia basketball has a big weekend ahead of them and it’s their chance to lock Edwards to a commitment before Kansas or Gonzaga start making moves.