Just hours after releasing their full non-conference slate for the 2025-2026 season, WVU men's basketball rounded out their roster with one final move ahead of the start of the season.
On Friday, the West Virginia Mountaineers added a commitment from small forward Evans Barning Jr., who was initially set to play his senior season of prep basketball this year – the 6-foot-8 Carroll (MD) product will reclassify to the Class of 2025 to join incoming coach Ross Hodge's roster.
‘26 @teamdurant_AAU hybrid forward Evans Barning will reclass to 2025 and has committed to West Virginia, per source. 6’8” high flyer posted 8.8PPG & 4.3RPG throughout Peach Jam. pic.twitter.com/Uw6CNUpuyt
— Colby Giacubeno (@ColbyGHoops) August 15, 2025
Barning will be joining the Mountaineers after playing for AAU program Team Durant on the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) this summer, where he posted an average of 8.8 points and 4.3 rebounds during the prestigious Nike EYBL Peach Jam Basketball Tournament. During one standout performance, Barning even dropped 29 points against eventual 2025 Peach Jam champions Brad Beal Elite. Scouts such as Michael Okoronkwo with Draftstack and freelancer Grady Majors had some serious praise for Barning's performance at the event, with Majors listing him as a standout performer.
"Throughout his summer circuit performances, Evans (#7 on Team Durant) showcased his promising potential, highlighted by remarkable flashes of brilliance. A standout moment occurred at the 2025 Nike EYBL Peach Jam, where his 29-point performance against eventual champions Brad Beal Elite, was a masterclass in offensive efficiency," Okoronkwo said in his write-up.
"In that game, he demonstrated his athletic prowess by finishing above the rim, utilizing his developing handle to get to his spots, and rising over defenders to score. Barning Jr. also proved his value as a good cutter off the ball, often positioning himself in good positions for dump off passes in the dunker spot. He also was capable in anticipating rebounds on both ends. His ability to execute offensive schemes and create opportunities for himself, coupled with his impressive character during a difficult game, made for a highly encouraging summer of development."
Evans Barning Jr (@EvansBarning_ ) displayed a lot of potential on @teamdurant_AAU this summer.
— Mike O (@Mike_Synaptic23) August 4, 2025
Throughout his summer circuit performances, Evans (#7 on Team Durant) showcased his promising potential, highlighted by remarkable flashes of brilliance. A standout moment occurred… pic.twitter.com/NbpSnWq8ki
2025 Nike EYBL Peach Jam Standouts@NikeEYB | @nikebasketball 🍑🏀 pic.twitter.com/gyozhBQ2jl
— Grady Majors (@GradyMajors) July 31, 2025
Joe Moussa with North Pole Hoops Scouting, a Canadian-based, NCAA-certified scouting service, also wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) that Barning "turned a lot of heads at Nike EYBL" and described the Toronto, ON native as a "hyper athletic hybrid forward."
In addition to WVU, Barning was offered by two other Division 1 programs in UMass-Lowell and Stonehill College. He will round out WVU's roster for the 2025-2026 team, becoming the 15th member of the team.