How Good is WVU's 2026 Class? They Ranked Higher Than Three Blue Bloods

Winning basketball games is the ultimate decider of whether or not a program is headed in the right direction, but to do so, you have to reel in some of the best talent in the country.

This offseason, Ross Hodge did exactly that, putting together one of the nation's best high school recruiting classes and then pairing it with a very strong group of transfers.

In ESPN's final team recruiting rankings for the 2026 class, West Virginia checked in at No. 14, marking their highest ranking in program history. To see that high of a number next to the Mountaineers' name is one thing, but to see some of the programs they finished higher than, such as North Carolina, UConn, and Indiana, really puts things into perspective.

Obviously, North Carolina is going through a transition at head coach, with Hubert Davis being replaced by Michael Malone, but still, that brand and the history of the program are so strong that it is able to weather the storm of a coaching change. UConn has been to the national championship game in three out of the last four seasons, having won two of them, so for WVU to finish nine spots higher than them says a lot.

But perhaps the one that may mean the most to West Virginia fans is Indiana, the school that pried away Darian DeVries after just one year in Morgantown. At the time, it felt like the Mountaineers would be in an incredibly difficult position, being forced to find a fourth head coach in as many years, but the early signs are that they may just come out of it as the winners of the departure.

What is most impressive about this year's recruiting results is that Hodge and his staff were able to land that talent after just one year on the job, and not making the NCAA Tournament. It's only reasonable to think that their success on the recruiting trail will improve as they have more success on the floor.

No. 14 West Virginia

G Miles Sadler (No. 17)

C Amadou Seini (No. 75)

F Aliou Dioum - 4-star

G Keonte Greybear - 4-star

No. 19 North Carolina

C Sayon Keita (Late Qualifier)

F Maximo Adams (No. 24)

G Malloy Smith - 3-star

No. 23 UConn

F Colben Landrew (No. 32)

G Junior County (No. 39)

No. 25 Indiana

F Vaughn Karvala (No. 43)

F Trevor Manhertz (No. 70)

G Prince-Alexander Moody - 4-star

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