Analysis: A closer look at West Virginia Class of 2025 4-star commit Kelvin Odih

The West Virginia men's basketball program received potentially it's biggest high school commitment yet under new head coach Darian DeVries on Wednesday as Kelvin Odih signed with the Mountaineers.

Odih is a rated a four-star recruit by both Rivals and 247Sports and is also ranked amongst the Top 100 players in the Class of 2025 by both recruiting services. Odih chose WVU over Rutgers and Louisville, in large part due to the extent to which the coaching staff went in Morgantown to demonstrate how important he could be to the program.

"I'm big on family, that's one thing I'm big on," Odih told 247Sports. "[Coach] Tom Ostrom showed that I was very important to their coaching staff, that I was important to the program. he came to my house many times, he came to my new school down in LA. Little things like that matter, and that played a big role in why I chose to go here."

Odih spent the first two years of his high school career with Providence La Salle in Rhode Island, and was named the 2022-23 MaxPreps Rhode Island High School Basketball Player of the Year during his sophomore season as he averaged 19.1 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game. He has since transferred SoCal Academy in California.

When asked what he'll bring to the program in Morgantown, Odih highlighted his competitive attitude as his best attribute and hopes he'll be able to play a part in returning the WVU program to national prominence on a yearly basis.

"They're getting a winner, a competitor, a dog," Odih said. "Someone that is willing to do whatever it takes to win. The message I have is I'm coming there to help turn the program back around to where it used to be."

LaSalle coach Mike McParlin also vouches for Odih's work ethic, highlighting the young athlete's passion for the sport and dedication to achieving success.

"I think the sky is the limit for Kelvin," McParlin said in a 2023 interview. "He loves playing basketball, and the biggest thing is that he really wants to do it for his family, so he works really hard for his parents because they sacrificed a lot to send him into LaSalle. I know that he's really been focused in the classroom and really focused on doing the best he can to provide himself an opportunity to play at the next level."

On film, Odih shows an exceptional ability to both pull up as a spot shooter from mid-deep range on the court as well as effectively create scoring opportunities off dribble penetration, demonstrating potential to be a complete offensive weapon for WVU. He also puts his 6'5 frame to use, showing a knack for using his athleticism and size to attack the rim -- sometimes with a strong slam dunk finish -- and create problems for opposing players. That skill might not translate as well to the collegiate ranks where he's facing the best athletes in college basketball multiple times a week, but it's certainly a positive sign to see the athleticism already shining through on high school tape.