WVU Should Target WV Native, Horizon League Player of the Year in Portal

The transfer portal doesn't officially open until April 7th for men's basketball, but just like in football, you'll see several players announce their intentions to enter beforehand.

So far, no Mountaineers have announced such plans, but there is one guy they should take a strong look at once the portal does open.

Robert Morris forward DeSean Goode (6'8", 230 lbs), who is a Fairmont, West Virginia native, is planning to go portaling, as reported by Joe Tipton of On3 Sports earlier this week.

Goode was the Horizon League's Player of the Year this season.

True Freshman Year at IU Indy

As a true freshman, Goode started in 20 of the 30 games he played, averaging 7.8 points and six rebounds per game while shooting 50% from the floor and 36% from three-point range. His best performance of the season came in an 84-79 win over Youngstown State, where he poured in 23 points on an extremely efficient 10/13 shooting, including nailing all three of his three-point attempts. He finished in double figures nine times, and at season's end, he was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team.

This Season at Robert Morris

In his one and only season with the Colonials, he upped his production across the board and finished the year as RMU's leading rebounder (8.7 rpg), three-point shooter (57.1%), and second in scoring (15.2). Although he's not a high-volume three-point shooter, he still gives his team the ability to stretch the floor, and the opposition has to respect his ability to hit those shots. He crossed the 20-point mark four times, with his season high being 26 in a two-point loss to Milwaukee. In that game, Goode went 9/12 from the field and 2/2 from beyond the arc.

Why he makes sense for West Virginia

DJ Thomas looked solid as a freshman, but I'm not sure you can enter next season with him as the unquestioned starter at the four spot. Adding Goode not only brings competition, but flexibility for WVU to court a lineup where all five can shoot the three if Thomas and Goode are on the court at the same time. West Virginia really struggled to score it in the paint this past season, and he would help fix that issue immediately. The most overlooked part of his game is the work he does on the offensive glass. He's pulled down 186 offensive rebounds in 63 career games — a three per game average.

Goode will have two years of eligibility remaining.