Morgantown, West Virginia – Despite landing five star transfer center Jesse Edwards and returning James Okonkwo, Mohamed Wage and perhaps Jimmy Bell, Bob Huggins and his coaching staff are still pursuing Pitt transfer John Hugley.
Hugley, a talented 6’9 forward from Cleveland, Ohio, averaged 14.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game two seasons ago before suffering an injury last season.
Hugley, who has three full years of eligibility remaining, visited Oklahoma this past week and will visit Ole Miss in the coming days, and his visit to Morgantown next weekend is still happening. Although the Mountaineers are loaded with interior talent already, Hugley remains a priority. Huggins recruited him hard out of high school and knows what an exceptional player he can be if he’s in the right place and system.
While Hugley would not like start for the Mountaineers next season, he would have an opportunity to play behind Jesse Edwards and Tre Mitchell, and would provide key minutes off the bench. Following next season, after Edwards and Mitchell graduate, he would step in as the team’s starter for his final two years of eligibility.
Adding Hugley to an interior lineup that features Jesse Edwards, Tre Mitchell, as well as talented young players James Okonkwo and Mohamed Wague, would likely give the Mountaineers one of the deepest group of big men in the Big 12 Conference next season.
