Where Does West Virginia Turn After Losing Out on Braydon Hawthorne?

After learning they have missed out on in-state four-star talent Braydon Hawthorne, the West Virginia Mountaineers can now turn their full attention back to the transfer portal to round out the roster for the 2025-26 season.

Despite taking the job in late March, Hodge was able to land two high school recruits in DJ Thomas and former Xavier commit Jayden Forsythe, giving them two building blocks for the future. Hawthorne would have been a massive get, but losing that battle isn't the end of the world.

The most pressing need for the Mountaineers is finding another center.

UNC Wilmington transfer Harlan Obioha is the only true center on the roster, and he hasn't played heavy minutes throughout his career. Between his two years at Niagara and one season at UNCW, he's averaged 19.3 minutes per game. Although he's projected to be WVU's starter, it would be surprising to see his floor time increase significantly. Even in the event that it does, the Mountaineers need to have a second viable option at the position.

One possible target could be Moulaye Sissoko (6'9", 250 lbs), who started all 36 games last season for Hodge at North Texas. He averaged 7.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 0.4 blocks per game while shooting 62% from the field.

The other obvious need is a backup point guard. North Texas transfer Jasper Floyd will likely be the No. 1 option there, and while a few of the off-ball guards can slide to the point, it wouldn't hurt to have another ballhandler on the roster.

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