As new West Virginia men's basketball coach Darian DeVries looks to rebuild his roster headed into his first season at the helm, he will need to rely heavily on talent from the transfer portal.
It just so happens that there is currently a player in the portal that is quite familiar with Morgantown.
This past Monday, NCAA Division 2 California (PA) guard KJ McClurg entered the portal following a wildly successful stint with the Vulcans. California was his second collegiate home, after spending his first two seasons at Division 1 New Hampshire. McClurg is a native of Morgantown, and spent his high school career playing for University High School, where he was a multi-time all-state selection and helped lead the Hawks to a 2019 state championship. He will have two seasons of eligibility left.
McClurg averaged 22.6 points per games and 5.4 rebounds per game this past season -- he managed double-digits in the scoring column in all 33 games the Vulcans played this past season, tallying 20+ points in 20 different games and 30+ points in six different games. Following the season, he would be named a consensus Division 2 All-American, as he was named to both Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-American teams.
6’3 KJ McClurg a Redshirt Sophomore is entering the portal he tells me:
— PDT (@PDTScouting) April 1, 2024
The D2 standout averaged 23 PPG, 6 RPG and 3 APG on 54/42/83 splits
One of the best bucket getters currently in D2, wouldn’t have a hard time adjusting to the D1 level, ultra confident, most comfortable… pic.twitter.com/4qLxEKGLTM
“I always knew if I had the right fit basketball-wise that I could accomplish great things,” McClurg recently told The Dominion Post. “It was sort of a mix of trusting myself and trusting the system and my teammates to be successful. This season is one I am very happy with and thankful for.”
McClurg is not just a big scorer, but he is also incredibly efficient when it comes to said scoring. He finished this past season shooting 53.4% from the field, including 42.1% from beyond-the-arc. McClurg scoring average was eighth overall in Division 2, and his 745 total points were the fourth-most scored this season at that level.
McClurg was also an on-court leader for the team, pacing the team by playing an average of 37.1 minutes per game as the Vulcans finished 28-5 overall and advanced to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Division 2 Men's Basketball Tournament.
He was talented enough that when California battled West Virginia State in the NCAA tournament, he was targeted with a box-and-one defense to slow down his play. After the game, the opposing coach admitted that he rarely has run into a situation where such an approach was needed.
"That’s the first time in 25 years of coaching that we’ve played a box-and-one,” West Virginia State head coach Bryan Poore told the Observer-Reporter after the game.
During his time at New Hampshire, McClurg started three games and saw action in 15, averaging four points per game.
While their is no word of official contact between McClurg and WVU as of yet, one has to see it as a natural next step for McClurg in his collegiate career. He would be the full package for WVU -- a local talent with Division 1 experience and the talent to score from anywhere on the floor.
“It’s a little different now with everything being so open now,” McClurg told The Dominion Post. “Teams are reloading their rosters every season now, it’s just about finding the right fits. For me, I’m looking for somewhere I can fit in with the playstyle and I can continue to develop.”