Morgantown, West Virginia – After it was announced that redshirt freshman forward Isaiah Cottrell was leaving West Virginia and entering the transfer portal, he went live on Instagram to answer questions and interact with fans.
Cottrell made it clear that his reason for leaving had nothing to do with an NIL deal and he repeatedly said that he was “unhappy.”
Cottrell, who said he never thought in a million years that he would transfer, defended his abilities when fans called him “soft” and “slow.”
”Yeah, I was slow at the beginning of the season because I was still hurt. But I’m not slow now,” Cottrell said. “I didn’t give up on the team at any point this season.”
Cottrell also admitted that he didn’t shoot well throughout the season, but added, “I made 32% from three point range. It was my first year and I was still figuring things out.”
Cottrell alluded to being unhappy with playing time and being played out of position.
”I didn’t play with my back to the basket my whole life and I’m not a 5 (center). And there were a lot of games that I just didn’t get the playing time.”
Cottrell said that he’s already had 15 schools reach out to him with offers this afternoon since he made his announcement and is unsure which schools he’s interested in yet.
”West Virginia has the best fans, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. I have four full seasons left and I’m excited about the future,” Cottrell added.
