WVU’s DeVries a Recent Guest on Field of 68: After Dark Podcast
John Antonik
Blog
Posted: May 22, 2024 01:27 PM
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia basketball coach Darian DeVries was a recent guest on The Field of 68: After Dark Podcast with hosts Rob Dauster and college basketball expert Jeff Goodman.
DeVries, who has been busy assembling a roster for the 2024-25 season, discussed his decision to take the West Virginia job earlier this spring when other schools were pursuing him.
"There were a lot of reasons, and it started with the administration," he said. "I felt like they were really on board with what it takes to be successful and very much try to facilitate that in any way that they can. I think that was a big piece. I think the fans and the fan support is critical. When you are at these jobs, and they're hard leagues, you've got to have a home-court advantage and (West Virginia) certainly has that.
"It's a passionate fan base, and I love that part about it," he added. "They really care about their hoops so that's exciting, and their support in all aspects is critical in the recruiting world as well. There were a lot of things that made sense for us, and that's ultimately why we decided to do it."
Guard Ofri Naveh was the only scholarship player on last year's team who opted to stay, meaning DeVries and his staff have had to mine the transfer portal looking for immediate help. DeVries did come to West Virginia with one of the best available players in the portal, his son, Tucker, whom Goodman believes is a legitimate NBA prospect.
DeVries discussed his son's decision to transfer from Drake, where he was a two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year.
"We talked about different jobs because he does have one year left, and I wanted to make sure he was good with whatever we decided and ultimately it was a no-brainer for him to come," DeVries said. "He was coming wherever we felt like it was best, and he's excited and looking forward to his last opportunity and having some fun with it."
DeVries added another critical piece earlier this week when Oklahoma State guard Javon Small signed with the Mountaineers. 247 Sports has DeVries ranked No. 6 and Small ranked No. 9 among this year's top transfer portal prospects.
In the Cowboys' 70-66 victory over West Virginia in Stillwater last January, Small scored 15 points and grabbed an impressive 12 rebounds. He also handed out seven assists.
"If you are going to win at this level, you need multiple guys and you have got to have a team full of guys that can all play well together and connected," DeVries explained. "I think that's the biggest key when you are assembling a roster is making sure you are putting together a team and not just a bunch of individuals. I love the makeup of our roster right now. They are all very committed to winning, hungry and ready to go out and compete. I can't wait for us to all get started here in a few weeks as we start our summer workouts."
Overall, 247 Sports ranks West Virginia's transfer portal class fourth in the country behind Arkansas, Indiana and St. John's.
Two high school players have also been added to the roster: Tennessee Player of the Year K.J. Tenner and Ohio Player of the Year Jonathan Powell, both guards.
DeVries said they were intentional with the players they have brought in so far to fill specific needs on the team. He credits his new coaching staff with helping this process along.
"Maybe I didn't know them all personally, but our assistants did in some way, shape or form," DeVries said. "They either coached them or had a relationship before recruiting them at their previous school. We were pretty intentional about making sure we got the right guys, and I feel really good about where our roster is at right now. I'm just ready to get to work with them.
"Twice in my six years at Drake, we brought in nine or 10 new guys and so that's not something new for myself in terms of having a bunch of new guys coming in and having them try and jell together," he said. "I'm kind of excited about that. You get a lot of energy when you get a group like that and that's always a lot of fun too."
Goodman pressed DeVries to pick one sleeper among the players he's signed so far, but the veteran coach declined to single anyone out.
"I like them all. I'm excited about them all," he laughed.
Since WVU director of athletics Wren Baker announced DeVries' hiring in late March, the coach admits it has taken him a while to get his feet on the ground in Morgantown.
"Once we did, I feel great about where we're at now, but it took us a little bit to get there," he said. "Three, four, five years ago, if you only have one guy left on your roster you are in a complete rebuild but that's not how it is anymore. You can get a whole new roster very quickly and a roster that's ready to compete now. There are plusses and minuses with what we have now with the portal when five years ago it would have taken you a good, two, three or four years to build with only one guy. Now you can do it immediately."
As for his family, DeVries said the plan is to move them to Morgantown later this summer.
"I've been at the Residence Inn. That's been my new home for the last 40-some days, but we do have a house, and we're going to move in sometime in June and that part will be fun to get a little bit of a sense of normalcy again," he said.
"They are finishing up school, and I have a daughter who is in high school as a freshman who is on a traveling basketball team, so they are going to stay for the summer to finish that up as well. It's just been me, and I've been eating out every night, and I need to do a little more exercising, I know that."
You can watch the full Field of 68: After Dark podcast on YouTube.
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