The transfer portal has become a hot topic throughout college basketball and that has been no different in West Virginia.
The transfer portal is essentially a database that allows other schools to contact them about a transfer, and WVSports.com will track it. It’s important to note that just because a player is listed on the portal doesn’t mean he has to transfer from the program, just that schools can contact him.
Here is a list of the Mountaineers who are currently in the portal exploring the possibility of transferring, as well as who has transferred to the program and what it could mean for the current West Virginia basketball team.
To this end, we will focus mainly on scholarship basketball players.
TRANSFERRED TO WEST VIRGINIA:
DeVries was one of the best players available in the transfer portal this cycle and West Virginia had the obvious bonus of having his father as head coach. DeVries was named Missouri Valley Player of the Year last season, averaging 21.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Bulldogs last season. He was also named MVC Player of the Year the previous season, where he averaged 18.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. As a true freshman, DeVries was named MVC Freshman of the Year after leading the Bulldogs with 13.9 points per game and scoring in double figures in 30 games that season. He has one season left and will finish in Morgantown as the centerpiece of the 2024-25 roster.
Small spent two years at East Carolina, where he showed significant improvement as a sophomore, averaging 15.8 points and 5.6 assists in 34.7 minutes, up from 2.0 points and 1.1 assists in 9, 1 minutes as a true freshman. The Indiana native then transferred to Oklahoma State, where he averaged 15.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 44 percent from the field and 37 percent from three. This earned him honorable mention in Big 12 honors. Small entered the transfer portal in March and was one of the top players available at the point guard position. West Virginia emerged as a leader on the clubhouse and was able to seal the deal with his commitment, giving the program a major addition to the backcourt. He has one year left.
Harris spent two seasons at Illinois but redshirted last year. The Ohio native played in all 33 games as a true freshman and even started seven of them while averaging 3.7 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. He also shot 43% from the floor and 32% from three. The former four-star player was recruited by associate head coach Chester Frazier to Illinois and immediately got on West Virginia’s radar when he entered the transfer portal. Harris committed to the Mountaineers after an official visit to campus and has three years left in his career.
Hansberry spent just one season at Illinois, where he played in just 19 games. In just 7.5 minutes per contest, Hansberry averaged 2.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game while shooting 45% from the floor. Hansberry was a highly recruited high school prospect at Maryland, where he averaged 15.3 points, 12.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists as a senior and won the Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year award. He became a focus for West Virginia when Chester Frazier joined the coaching staff, as he recruited him out of high school. Hansberry took an official visit April 19-21 and then committed to the basketball program, giving the Mountaineers their first major offseason. He will have three years of eligibility remaining in his career.
Okani was a player that West Virginia prioritized as soon as new coach Darian DeVries took over the basketball program. The Mountaineers were able to get him to campus April 12-14 for an official visit and he selected the Big 12 Conference program over his other finalists LSU, Virginia, St. The New Jersey native spent two years at Duquesne, but transferred to the University of Illinois-Chicago, where he started all 32 games and averaged 11.0 points and 7.1 rebounds in his first season there. But in his second season he averaged 11.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals per game, earning Missouri Valley Conference All-Defensive Team honors. The New Jersey native will have one season of eligibility remaining and is a player who will make an instant impact on both ends of the court.
Andre met a West Virginia need on the court front by offering his commitment to the program in late April. He spent his first two seasons at Nebraska, where in his second season he averaged 3.1 points on 57 percent shooting and 3.2 rebounds per game as the first big off the bench. He moved to Fresno State where he saw those numbers jump and in his second season started 18 of 20 games, he appeared to average 7.3 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 60 percent from the floor, but his season was cut short. due to a knee injury. André was born in Luanda, Angola and moved to England as a child and entered the transfer portal on April 4th. The big center will have one season of eligibility remaining in his career.
ON THE TRANSFER PORTAL:
Games: 23
Farrakhan spent just one season at West Virginia after unexpectedly becoming eligible following a court ruling on transfer rules. He started five games and finished the season averaging 7.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game while shooting 40% from the field and 35% from three. Farrakhan began his career at East Carolina and then spent two years at Eastern Michigan. The New Jersey native would have one year of eligibility remaining in his career at his next destination.
Games: 92
Johnson spent three seasons with the West Virginia basketball program and made 32 appearances in that span. The Ohio native has averaged 3.2 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists over his career, but is coming off his most productive campaign as a junior. Last season, Johnson started 26 of 31 games and averaged 6.0 points, 2.2 assists and 2.0 rebounds as a point guard for West Virginia. Johnson still has one season of eligibility left in his career and is an experienced combo guard.
Games: 8
Bembry transferred from Florida State to West Virginia after not seeing the court during his time with the Seminoles due to injury. The New York native saw action in just eight games during his time with the Mountaineers and averaged just 3.1 minutes per game with limited contributions across the board. Bembry will have four years remaining after requesting a medical redshirt during his lone year in Morgantown.
HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER PLACE:
Games:23
Kriisa spent just one season in Morgantown, where he averaged 11 points and 4.7 assists per game. He also shot 42.5 percent from three. The Estonian point guard arrived in Morgantown after three seasons in Arizona and played in a total of 23 games. During his time at West Virginia, Kriisa was suspended nine games for receiving impermissible benefits while with the Wildcats. He will have one season of eligibility remaining and has committed to spending his senior year at Kentucky.
Games: 49
Harris spent two seasons with the West Virginia basketball program and managed to graduate during that time. He entered the transfer portal after the arrival of coach Darian DeVries and will have two more seasons in his career. Harris is coming off a season in which he averaged 5.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 37 percent from the floor. An athletic attacking option who plays strong on defense as well as on the glass. Committed to playing for Akron.
Games: 53
Suemnick arrived at West Virginia from Triton College in Illinois and played primarily as a reserve during his two seasons with the program. Suemnick averaged just 5.4 minutes per game in his first year with the Mountaineers before more than doubling last season with 14 per game. The Wisconsin native averaged 4.1 points and 2.6 rebounds and started a total of six games for the Mountaineers in his final season with the program. Suemnick will have one year of eligibility after committing to DePaul.
Games: 82
Wilson played in 82 games over his three years with the West Virginia basketball program, but chose to enter the transfer portal in his final season with the arrival of new head coach Darian DeVries. Wilson is coming off a season in which he averaged 3.5 points and 1.7 rebounds, which is in line with his career totals of 3.4 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. The Ohio native was a career 38% three-point shooter and would have one year of eligibility remaining and committed to Akron.
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