Five-Year Veteran Forward Contacted by West Virginia in Transfer Portal

A former Big 12 foe could be a part of WVU's future.

Feb 26, 2024; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; TCU Horned Frogs forward JaKobe Coles (21) works past Baylor Bears guard Ja'Kobe Walter (4) during the first half at Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Ross Hodge has been intentional in his pursuit of experienced players in the transfer portal this offseason, and really, it's his best chance to have a successful year one on the job in Morgantown.

According to Tobias Bass of The Athletic, West Virginia has been in contact with Grand Canyon transfer forward Ja'Kobe Coles. Others who are involved include Arizona State, Cal, Creighton, Iowa, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Xavier.

For you WVU basketball diehards, Coles' name may sound familiar. That would be due to his three-year stint at TCU from 2021-24. In the first of TCU's two wins over the Mountaineers last year, Coles posted 11 points and five rebounds. Two years ago in Fort Worth, Coles had his best performance against the Mountaineers tallying 17 points on 6/10 shooting.

While WVU and others are in talks with Coles, there's no guarantee that he will be eligible to play next season. He technically has five seasons under his belt, but only appeared in six games during the 2020-21 season with Butler, thanks to a season-ending knee injury. He is seeking a medical waiver to get that year back, and in all likelihood, he will be granted that year.

In 140 career games, Coles has averaged 8.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. This season with Grand Canyon, he posted 14.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks.

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