This Rising Star Assistant is Making West Virginia a Magnet for Top Recruits

Ross Hodge must do everything in his power to keep this key assistant for as long as possible.

West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball head coach Ross Hodge reacts during the first half against Iowa State on Jan. 2, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Many of the assistants on Ross Hodge's staff at West Virginia have worked with him in the past, be it at North Texas or elsewhere. One that didn't have any prior connections to him just may be the most valuable piece to the future of the program, Yusuf Ali.

Ali came to WVU from Arizona State and has made an immediate impact on the recruiting trail. It wasn't all him, of course, but landing Miles Sadler, the highest-rated recruit in program history, had a lot to do with his relationship with Ali. The same can be said about his teammate and fellow WVU signee, Aliou Dioum.

There's another top-rated recruit in the 2027 class, center Paul Osaruyi, who is ranked as the No. 3 player in the country, according to ESPN. And yes, West Virginia has a legit shot to land him. Osaruyi is originally from Ontario, Canada, and already has a relationship with Ali because of those Canadian roots. Not to mention, he's teammates with Sadler and Dioum at Bella Vista Prep in Scottsdale, Arizona.

What's most fascinating about Ali is that he's just scratching the surface of the type of recruiter and coach he will ultimately become. He's climbed the coaching ladder at lightning speed. It all started with becoming the head coach of the Toronto Basketball Academy in 2019, going 32-6 over the span of two seasons. That led to an opportunity at the collegiate level, landing an assistant coaching job at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. After a brief stint there, he teamed up with Bobby Hurley at Arizona State.

Other programs around the country will undoubtedly take notice of the success that Ali is having on the recruiting trail and will try to pry him out of Morgantown, even if it's a couple of years down the road. Hodge's success and ability to connect with recruits will always keep WVU in the mix for top-rated players, regardless of who is on staff, but Ali is a vital piece to the future of Mountaineer basketball, and they have to do everything possible to make sure he stays put for as long as possible.

MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI

Steve Sabins Provides Update on Starters’ Injuries — Here’s the Scoop

Former Mountaineer Makes Bold NCAA Tournament Prediction for WVU

The National Title Run That Was Taken Away From West Virginia

Steve Sabins Talks Starting Pitching, Injury Update + More Following 3-0 Start

What's the Plan for Freshman OL Kevin Brown? Is Day-One Starter Still a Possibility?