WVU Hoops Loses First Player to Transfer Portal

The transfer portal is officially open, and the West Virginia Mountaineers are on the board as far as departures go, with true freshman wing Evans Barning Jr. leaving the program to search for a new school.

Barning did not appear in a game this season and did not travel with the team to Las Vegas last week for the College Basketball Crown, likely signaling this eventual move.

When Barning signed with the Mountaineers late in the process, the plan was for him to sit and develop, given that he had reclassified to the 2026 class.

“Evans is a versatile forward with great length and athleticism," Hodge said. "He’s been well-coached throughout his career and has played with other high-level players. His character and willingness to be coached will allow him to continue to grow as a player here at West Virginia. We are excited to have him join us in Morgantown.”

Barning played his final season of prep ball at Archbishop Carroll High in Washington, D.C., where he averaged 10.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He also played for Team Durant in the Nike EYBL circuit of AAU ball, where in his final game against Bradley Beal Elite, he posted 29 points and four boards while shooting 78.6% from the floor.

Barning is an extremely athletic player with some serious bounce, but has quite a ways to go offensively. His shot needs to be developed, and that will come with time. You have to keep in mind that he should have been a senior in high school this past season. WVU rolled the dice, hoping he could be a guy that they could groom into being a quality Big 12 bench piece.

Updated WVU Roster with Barning's departure

* - needs medical redshirt, ^ - walk-on, underlined - incoming freshman

G: Amir Jenkins, Miles Sadler, Kingston Whitty, Morris Ugusuk, MJ Feenane^, Niyol Hauet^

G/F: Jayden Forsythe

F: DJ Thomas, Jackson Fields*

C: Abraham Oyeadier, Aliou Dioum

The West Virginia coaching staff will be sending out a bunch of offers in the coming days and setting up official visits, hoping to quickly fill the roster with top-tier transfers, which is something Ross Hodge didn't really have a chance to do a year ago. The fact that he won't be playing from behind this spring should allow the Mountaineers to be more competitive in the portal and have better results.