West Virginia basketball transfer portal: Top 5 players Mountaineers can target after March Madness snub

To say that West Virginia basketball is complicated now is an understatement. The Mountaineers were left out of the NCAA Tournament. Then coach Darian DeVries left after a single season to accept the Indiana job. His son, star guard Tucker DeVries, who redshirted this season after being injured, is expected to join him.

So, in the midst of all this chaos, West Virginia will have to assemble a team for 2025-26. To say that creating a new roster will probably be a wild, on-the-fly experience is probably an understatement. Here are five portal prospects that the Mountaineers would be wise to seek.

5 portal entrants who West Virginia could target

Brandon Weston (then at Rhode Island) could be a nice pickup for West Virginia in the portal. (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

5. Brandon Weston, Tennessee State G

A high-scoring guard who has spent four seasons at three schools, Weston is an instant offense. This season, Weston averaged 16.0 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. He's not an elite perimeter shooter, but he's a 6-foot-5 scorer who can get to the rim almost at will. West Virginia could use him.

4. Elyjah Freeman, Lincoln Memorial F

A 6-foot-8 athlete who was a late bloomer, Freeman is the rare Division II player who could jump to a power conference. As a freshman at Lincoln Memorial, Freeman averaged 19.3 ppg and 9.1 rpg. He's a 46% 3-point shooter.

While he could have some developmental hiccups, Freeman is a fascinating prospect who West Virginia could use.

3. Quimari Peterson, East Tennessee G

A star for two seasons at ETSU, Peterson is ready to move up to a higher level of competition. The 6-foot-1 scorer averaged 19.5 ppg this year. He was also a 42.2% 3-point shooter and swiped two steals per game.

Much as with Weston above, Peterson could be an instant offense, and in a massive roster remake, that could certainly matter.

2. Owen Freeman, Iowa C

Perhaps the top big man in the portal, Freeman averaged 16.7 ppg and 6.7 rpg for Iowa. But the Hawkeyes ditched coach Fran McCaffery. As Freeman is already seeking a fresh start, there might be few teams as massively remade as West Virginia figures to be.

1.Dedan Thomas, UNLV G

Thomas is a 6-foot-1 lead guard who might be a bit more of a passer than the other small guards above. Thomas scored 15.6 ppg this year and dished out 4.7 assists per game. He's likely going to be a top portal player, but if West Virginia could make it happen, he'd be a great addition to the Mountaineers.

What do you think of West Virginia's possible additions? Share your take below in our comments section!