WVU True Freshmen DJ Thomas and Amir Jenkins Are Already Turning Heads

In year one under Ross Hodge, West Virginia will lean on the veterans they snagged out of the transfer portal, much like what Darian DeVries did here a year ago.

The difference? DeVries had one promising freshman in Jonathan Powell. Hodge may have two, potentially three. Jaden Forsythe is a name to watch, but during his press conference on Thursday, Hodge discussed what he's seen out of DJ Thomas and Amir Jenkins.

“DJ and Amir, even though they didn’t come from the portal, they fit a lot of the same qualities that we were talking about. I think that’s what gives a young player the opportunity to play. Yes, there’s a physical requirement, but a lot of it is mental — the mental makeup and the mental maturity and the ability to process information. DJ Thomas, what is going to ultimately give him a chance to be a very, very good player for a long time is his ability to listen, comprehend, and then do. It sounds simple, but it’s hard to do.”

Thomas initially committed to play for Hodge at North Texas and was the only high school recruit Hodge brought over to WVU. In his final year of high school ball, Thomas averaged 10.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists as a senior at Allen High, earning UIL 6A All-Region honors while helping his team to the Class 6A Division I semifinals.

As for Jenkins, he was a 2026 recruit, but reclassified, which allowed WVU to snag him. Had he spent another year in high school, teams from every corner of the country would have had him on speed dial. He was a top-100 recruit who picked WVU over offers from Arizona State, Boston College, Creighton, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Providence, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Xavier, and many others. As a junior, he averaged 21.7 points with more than three assists and three rebounds per game.

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