Big 12 Basketball: Analyzing each program’s 2019 recruiting class
player. 469. . . . West Virginia Mountaineers.
West Virginia missed the NCAA Tournament during this past season but they had danced in the prior four seasons. Head coach Bob Huggins boasts an outstanding national reputation as a leader and it is reasonable to assume that the Mountaineers will be back to the Big Dance soon under his tutelage. That return could occur as soon as this season with a strong core returning and the No. 22 overall recruiting class arriving on campus.
The most important newcomer will be Oscar Tshiebwe, a 6-foot-9 center with an absolutely relentless motor. Tshiebwe gives 110% in seemingly every single game as he outworks every single opponent that he faces. In addition to bringing tremendous physicality to the frontcourt, he is also quite nimble and skilled with the ball in his hands. Tshiebwe is ranked as the No. 31 overall player in this class and he might be the most intriguing newcomer in the country, in my opinion.
Top 100 wing Jalen Bridges is the next highest-rated player in this class but he is expected to redshirt during this coming season and will therefore not take the court. This makes sense considering his youth and the viable wing options already on the Mountaineers roster.
This leaves point guard Miles McBride as the lone other freshman that could potentially see the floor this season. West Virginia seems to be relatively set at the lead guard spot with Jordan McCabe and a few JUCO transfers on the roster but McBride could be a solid piece if he emerges as a legitimate perimeter threat right away. WVU will need 3-point shooting.
JUCO transfers Taz Sherman, Sean McNeil, and Ethan Richardson are also joining the roster.