MORGANTOWN, West Virginia — Ross Hodge and Yusuf Ali continue to prove that West Virginia basketball is going to be a legitimate player on the national recruiting scene.
According to multiple sources, 2027 four-star forward Tyran Frazier has locked in three visits for this fall, and West Virginia is right in the middle of the action. Frazier will visit Virginia Tech on September 5, Missouri on September 18 and West Virginia on September 25. The 6-foot-10 Saint Louis, Missouri native is ranked No. 32 overall in the ESPN SCNext 100, making him another major target for Hodge and his staff. Frazier’s Missouri and West Virginia visits have also been independently reported as part of his fall schedule.
Full list of visits set for 2027 4⭐️ Tyran Frazier, source told @LeagueRDY:
Virginia Tech: September 5th
Missouri: September 18th
West Virginia: September 25thThe 6-foot-10 forward out of Saint Louis, Missouri is #32 overall in the @SCNext 100. https://t.co/wweJISlgkR pic.twitter.com/VWiy8ikWf4
— Sam Kayser (@KayserHoops) August 21, 2026
And at this point, seeing West Virginia involved with this level of prospect shouldn’t surprise anyone. When Hodge took over in Morgantown, there were plenty of questions about whether he and his staff would be able to recruit at the level necessary to compete in the Big 12. Those questions are disappearing quickly. Hodge and assistant coach Yusuf Ali have surpassed expectations on the recruiting trail, and Ali in particular is showing exactly why Hodge wanted him on his staff. When Ali was hired, Hodge specifically pointed to his ability to connect with people and his relationships both internationally and in the United States. Those connections are starting to pay off in a major way.
Just look at the names West Virginia has been able to bring into the program under Hodge. Miles Sadler was a massive recruiting victory and has helped establish a pipeline into Canada, while the Mountaineers have also assembled a roster featuring talented players such as Joson Sanon, Finley Bizjack, Aliou Dioum and others. Hodge and Ali aren’t simply filling roster spots. They’re bringing legitimate talent to Morgantown and then using those relationships to pursue even bigger names.
The 2027 class could take things to another level. West Virginia has been heavily involved with five-star center Paul Osaruyi, one of the best big men in the entire 2027 class, and the Mountaineers have also made the final group for top-50 point guard Javion Tyndale. Tyndale is another Canadian prospect, and WVU’s continued presence in recruitments like his shows how valuable Ali’s connections have become. Add Frazier to that list, and suddenly West Virginia is consistently being mentioned with some of the best players in the country.
That’s the biggest difference right now. West Virginia isn’t just throwing offers at highly ranked prospects and hoping something happens. The Mountaineers are getting visits. They’re making final lists. They’re building relationships with players early, and they’re becoming a legitimate option for prospects who have offers from programs all over the country.
Frazier scheduling a trip to Morgantown on September 25 is another example of that. At 6-foot-10, Frazier would give Hodge exactly the type of size, athleticism and versatility that can make a difference in the Big 12. He’s a national top-40 caliber prospect, and getting him on campus gives West Virginia an opportunity to show him what the program, fan base and university have to offer.
It’s also becoming increasingly clear that Ali was an outstanding addition to Hodge’s staff. His background developing Canadian talent and his recruiting relationships were major reasons he was brought to Morgantown, and we’re already seeing the impact. West Virginia has become heavily involved with several Canadian prospects while also expanding its reach nationally.
Hodge has already shown he can build a competitive team, too. In his first season, West Virginia won 21 games, finished seventh in the Big 12 after being picked 11th and won the 2026 College Basketball Crown. Now the next step is stacking recruiting classes and building something that can sustain success year after year.
That’s why Mountaineer fans should be excited about where this is heading. West Virginia basketball isn’t going to win every battle for a four- or five-star prospect. Nobody does. But Hodge and Ali have quickly put WVU in conversations that many probably didn’t expect them to be in this early. Miles Sadler was just the beginning. Now they’re chasing players like Paul Osaruyi, Javion Tyndale and Tyran Frazier.
If Hodge and Ali can turn even a couple of these high-level recruitments into commitments, the ceiling for this program changes considerably. The future of West Virginia basketball is looking very bright, and on September 25, another one of the best players in the 2027 class will get his chance to see Morgantown for himself.
