WVU Basketball: A First Look at the 2013-14 Depth Chart

Feb 9, 2012; Fort Worth, TX, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Eron Harris (10) during the game against TCU Horned Frogs at the Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

Coach Bob Huggins filled out his roster this week with the transfer additions of forwards Jonathan Holton and Remi Dibo. Both forwards will enter Morgantown as juniors, with two years of eligibility remaining. The two JUCO forwards combine with the Mountaineers four high school forward/center recruits to bring the Mountaineers back to a 15 man roster.

For those who have not kept up with the roster changes, here is a recap:

Additions: F Devin Williams (FR), C Brandon Watkins (FR), F Elijah Macon (FR), F Nathan Adrian (FR), F Jonathan Holton (r-JR), and F Remi Dibo (r-JR)

Losses: F Dominique Rutledge (Graduation), F Deniz Kilicli (Graduation), G Matt Humphrey (Graduation), G Aaron Brown (Transfer), G Jabarie Hinds (Transfer), and F Volodomyr Gerun (Transfer)

Just at a glance, it is clear that Huggins and the coaching staff were out to add a ton of length to the roster. The length and athleticism of the Mountaineers forwards this past season was one of the major weak points that the Mountaineers needed to address heading into the 2013-14 season.

Now the Mountaineers have added some versatile big men in Holton and Dibo while also bringing in a crop of young big men to develop for that strong interior presence that Huggins’ teams put an emphasis on. Guys like Devin Williams and Brandon Watkins will probably get early looks this season in relief of paint dominator Aaric Murray.

C: Aaric Murray, 6’10” 245 lbs, SR; Brandon Watkins, 6’9″ 225 lbs, FR; Devin Williams, 6’8″ 220 lbs, FR

PF: Kevin Noreen, 6’10” 250 lbs, JR; Jonathan Holton, 6’9″ 215 lbs, r-JR; Elijah Macon, 6’8″ 210 lbs, FR

SF: Keaton Miles, 6’7″ 210 lbs, JR; Remi Dibo, 6’9″ 225 lbs, r-JR; Nathan Adrian, 6’7″ 200 lbs, FR

SG: Eron Harris, 6’2″ 190 lbs, SO; Terry Henderson, 6’3″ 190 lbs, SO; Aric Dickerson, 6’5″ 200 lbs, r-SO

PG: Juwan Staten, 6’1″ 190 lbs, JR; Gary Browne, 6’1″ 190 lbs, JR; Richard Romeo, 5’11” 180 lbs, SO

We don’t have any of the new additions as starters in our first depth chart, but would not at all be surprised to see players like Holton and Dibo find their way into the starting line-up at some point during the season. For now, we like Keaton Miles to rise to the occasion and claim a starting spot, even though he has failed to do just that for his entire Mountaineer career.

Also, Kevin Noreen is talented, but failed to be a consistent starter through out this past season and could lose out to Holton or one of the talented freshman.

We shifted Devin Williams from his natural 4 spot to the 5 for the purpose of depth given the good size he has and the fact that Noreen and Holton would have him boxed out for playing time at 4. It would not at all be a surprise to see guys like Williams, Macon, Adrian, and/or Watkins receive redshirts this season with the perceived big man depth with the upper-classmen.

Just as all last season, this coming season promises to showcase a Mountaineers roster in flux as coach Huggins tries to determine which players are going to take the reins of the team and step up as leaders. Let’s all just hope that Huggins can identify a starting five before Big XII play this season.