Josh Eilert, WVU Staff Recruiting for Future in Period of Unknown

WVU interim HC Josh Eilert is nearing two months at the helm of the men’s basketball program. Eilert and his staff have one season to prove why they deserve to stay at West Virginia for the foreseeable future.

Before any games are played, the coaching staff has retooled their roster once more in what feels like a never-ending offseason. West Virginia lost four players to the transfer portal following Bob Huggins’ resignation in June. Eilert was able to recruit Kerr Kriisa and Jose Perez out of the transfer portal and return to West Virginia. The coaching staff was able to retain the rest of the roster during the summer. From there, WVU’s director of recruiting Jay Kuntz contacted various available transfers and added needed depth.

WVU’s Recent Additions:

Akok Akok | 5th-Year | F | Georgetown

6.5 PTS, 6.2 REB, 2.0 BLK

Jeremiah Bembry | R-Fr. | G | Florida State

Noah Farrakhan | Sr. | G | Eastern Michigan

12.1 PTS, 4.1 REB, 2.3 AST

Ofri Naveh | Fr. | F | Israel

10.8 PTS, 6.0 REB

Quinn Slazinski | Sr. | F | Iona + St. John’s

11.3 PTS, 5.7 REB

Farrakhan, WVU’s most recent addition, appeared in 31 games for the Eagles, averaging 12.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists. Farrakhan shot 43% from the field and 24% from three. He recorded 14 games of 20 points or more during his EMU career. The 6-foot-1 guard scored 19 points, six rebounds and three assists against Michigan in Nov. 2022. Farrakhan needs a waiver to compete in the 2023-24 season but has two years of eligibility remaining.

Out of the five post-Huggins transfers, four of them have multiple years of eligibility. Jeremiah Bembry and Ofri Naveh have four years to play basketball, which is even better for WVU. For the first time since West Virginia’s staff has dipped their toes into the transfer portal, it feels like they have a solid core that has multiple years of eligibility.

West Virginia has four fifth-year seniors with Akok Akok, RaeQuan Battle, Jesse Edwards and Jose Perez. The nine remaining players will be able to return in the 2024-25 season if they please.

Eilert’s staff is recruiting the transfer portal as if they’re staying past this season. It even expands to high school recruiting during this summer period. New WVU assistant Jordan McCabe is using his connections to get involved with certain recruits. McCabe has made recruiting trips to Memphis, Atlanta and Las Vegas. McCabe came across Amari Allen is a four-star prospect in the 2025 class. Allen is from McCabe’s hometown of Kaukauna, WI and currently plays at IMG Academy (Fl.). WVU assistant DerMarr Johnson has used his connections in the DMV area to get involved out there as well.

This staff should have the mindset that they will be here after 2024 but they’ll have to prove it on the court this upcoming season.