WVU Basketball

Transfer Portal Opening Will Have WVU Behind the 8-Ball

Published

2 months ago

March 16, 2024

Kelsie LeRose / WVSN

On Monday, the transfer portal officially opens up for 45 days as West Virginia continues its coaching search. WVU AD Wren Baker’s target goal for a new hire is by the Final Four in early April. Without a staff in place, WVU is going to be behind the eight ball compared to the rest of the field.

And that’s okay for now because West Virginia’s priority right now should be making the right hire.

WVU is expected to lose players from its current roster. That isn’t a report or prediction, that’s a fact in today’s age of college athletics, especially with a coaching change. The question no one knows yet is how many players will enter. West Virginia currently has eight scholarship players that could be eligible for next season, not including Quinn Slazinski who is planning on applying for a medical redshirt from the 2022-23 season for one extra year.

If you remember what happened last June, the players on the roster understandably became anxious between Bob Huggins’ resignation and Josh Eilert’s promotion which took a week. West Virginia lost Tre Mitchell, Joe Toussaint and Kerr Kriisa to the portal during that week. While Kriisa did commit back to Eilert after he was hired, it was all but over to convince Mitchell and Toussaint to return.

This time around, West Virginia won’t have as much pressure to make a quick hire, which is why communication is key. Baker talked to the team after their flight back from Kansas City at 2 a.m. on Wednesday.

“I just shared with them that they have my admiration and respect. That I would be here for them and that they have my commitment that I will run this search as expeditiously as we can. It’s important to be thorough and get the right coach,” Baker said. “So I let them know that I’d update them when we had a significant update. And they were very respectful.”

With the unknown of departures that will soon hit in the coming days or weeks, West Virginia’s next hire will have some work to do in the transfer portal this spring while getting adjusted in Morgantown.