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West Virginia Mountaineers: Three Recruits Expected to Make Immediate Impact

By Michael Bonaventura

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The West Virginia Mountaineers have landed three recruits to add to there very young team. Two of these recruits are 4 star players, and one of which is in ESPN 100. This is big news for WVU. The Mountaineers didn’t do bad last year, but it was anything to hang your hat on. Yes they made the NCAA Tournament. Yes they made it past the first round. Yes they finished 4th in the Big 12, but knowing Bob Huggins, that’s not good enough.

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Last year WVU finished 36th in points per game, 57th in rebounds per game, 50th in assists per game, and had a field goal percentage that was 282nd overall. This is not what the Mounties need. They need to improve on these areas, and that should take them over the hump to make a deep run in the tourney.

The biggest name that they were able to sign would be 6-8 Forward Esa Ahmad. With WVU not knowing if they were going to be able to land him, or if he’d even be able to play at all, this is a big signing for the Mountaineers. Ahmad is from Shaker Heights, Ohio and has a big frame and good touch.  At 218 pounds he’s not afraid of contact either. I think he will be able to get in the paint and help the Mountaineers with their 57th rank in rebounds, both offensively and defensively. I defiantly think with his size and having great hands around the rim, that he will just be adding to the size that WVU is starting to build there team around.  On the current roster they only have one guy listed under 6-0 tall. That would be junior guard James Long.

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    • The second of the two 4 star recruits that they were able to land is 5-11 James Bolden out of Covington, KY. He’s a smaller guard who can make a lot happen with his speed. He can have a wide rang of shots that include a step-back, runners, and fade-aways. Bolden is one of those guys who can create space off the dribble. I think with him drawing defenders into him, it’ll open up space for him to distribute the ball and get that assist ranking up to where it should be. I do have one cause for concern for him, and that is his weight. He is only listed at 160 pounds. With the size of everyone in college sports getting bigger and bigger, I think he’ll need some work in the weight room. I’m not saying to break the 200 pound mark, but at least be in the 180’s.

    Last but not least would be 6-3 Shooting Guard Teyvon Myers. Myers is a Junior College player from Williston State College. He was signed back on March 12th of this year. He does give the Mountaineers something for off the bench. Another guard to give the others a break for a minute or two. I don’t see him having a ton of minutes in this season, but just enough to work on developing him into what WVU wants.

    With all of this, I think that WVU will make a big splash not only in the Big 12, but nationally as well. They finished last season with a 25-10 overall record, and went 11-7 in the Big 12. I see them picking up a few more wins this season. Mainly in the Big 12. They are adding all the right pieces that they need to add, getting themselves bigger in the paint, while adding speed to the outside. They have great leadership in some returning players who will show these young guys what playing for WVU really means.

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