DJ Thomas’ One-and-Done at WVU Is Troubling, But Not a Sign of Retention Problems

One of the most frustrating things about the new era of college basketball is the constant changing of the roster, having to relearn a brand new team essentially every year.

Because of West Virginia's coaching drama in recent years, the attrition has felt ten times worse.

But despite WVU returning the same head coach for the first time in five seasons, the Mountaineers will enter the 2026-27 season likely returning just one key piece from this year's squad — Amir Jenkins, assuming he stays put.

Yesterday, it was reported that freshman forward DJ Thomas entered the transfer portal, which was a big loss for Ross Hodge and Co. From what I gather, this wasn't WVU not seeing him as a fit or not having the resources to keep him.

The program is in a good financial spot, but it's not going to spend at the level of some of the top 15 or so programs, maybe even 20.

I also don't believe this is a concern that Hodge isn't going to be able to retain his top players. This is just a matter of a kid playing well and weighing his options after being passed over out of high school.

If that all turns out to be true, and this decision was 100% made by Thomas, it is an example of exactly why some coaches are getting out of the business.

He had zero high-major offers when he was recruited. He committed and signed to play for Hodge and North Texas and then switched his signing over to WVU when Hodge offered him the chance to follow him to Morgantown.

Not only did he play as a true freshman, but saw rotation minutes as the team's primary backup at the four spot. Thomas would have been a key piece to WVU's future, and now, he's going elsewhere after every other big school passed on him the first time around.

We can look at it through a basketball lens only, but that would be unfair, considering no one knows any details on why the move was made. Maybe he wants to be closer to home, near family, or he just doesn't believe he will be able to get to go where he wants as a Mountaineer. Oftentimes, we never get those answers.

For the past several weeks, I was asked whether I believed WVU would be able to retain Thomas, and I had never once heard anything that made me question whether they could. This is a big loss. He's a guy who could have developed into an All-Big 12 caliber player with another year or two of development. Now, the Mountaineers will have another spot on the roster to fill and, more importantly, a spot in the rotation to replace.

As of Wednesday morning, West Virginia has three players in the portal — Thomas and fellow freshmen Evans Barning Jr. and Jayden Forsythe.