WVU Basketball Officially Announces Hiring of Yusuf Ali as Assistant Coach

Confirming past reports, the WVU basketball program officially announced the hiring of a new assistant coach on Friday.

Ross Hodge welcomed announced Yusuf Ali to his staff as an assistant coach. This news was initially reported on Sept. 26, first by On3 Sports.

“We are excited to announce the addition of Yusuf to our coaching staff,” Hodge said. “Yusuf has a unique ability to connect with people. He has great relationships both internationally and stateside. Yusuf also brings with him Big 12 experience and will be a valuable member of our program.”

Ali served as an assistant at Arizona State for two years. Prior to that, he was an assistant coach at Simon Fraser University.

Aside from coaching at the collegiate level, Ali co-founded and served as the head coach of the Toronto Basketball Academy and DeepEnd Training. He worked in those roles from 2012-2020.

“I am honored and excited to join Coach Hodge and the West Virginia basketball family,” Ali said. “WVU has such a rich tradition and passionate fan base, and I’m eager to contribute to building on that legacy. My focus has always been on developing players on and off the court, and I look forward to helping our student-athletes reach their full potential while competing at the highest level in the Big 12.”

The move completes Hodge’s staff for the 2025-26 season. Ali joins assistant coaches Johnny Estelle, Phil Forte, Jase Herl, Mike Randle and Andre Shaw.

Find more coverage of Ross Hodge and the WVU basketball program at WV Sports Now.