With all the hype between the incoming freshman class and the excellent transfer portal haul put together this offseason by WVU basketball head coach Ross Hodge, the future seems like it could hold a return to prominence for the Mountaineers.
But amidst all the hype over Hodge's first season efforts at the helm of the program and his offseason recruiting work, it's easy to overlook the one piece of last season's rotation who played a limited but not insignificant role – and that's Amir Jenkins.
Jenkins was a true freshman last year, having reclassified to join the Mountaineers a year early. But those two factors didn't impact Jenkins too much, as he still earned plenty of playing time for the Mountaineers and impressed both fans and the coaching staff with his prowess and dynamic offensive abilities.
But Hodge disclosed following the season that Jenkins would need two shoulder surgeries this offseason to recover from injuries sustained during the season, and that put his timetable for a return in murky waters. It was expected he would be able to return sometime this upcoming season, but at exactly what point he'd make it back to action remained in question – with most estimates suggesting he'd miss a decent chunk of the year.
But now, photos and videos of multiple team practices and workouts have been released on social media by the program, and Jenkins has shown up working out and practicing with the team, and doing so without any sort of brace on his shoulder. This could indicate that the timetable for Jenkins to return is ahead of where many assumed it would be, and that he can be back in action before the season begins.
But where he'll factor in the depth chart is still to be determined. Incoming five-star freshman Miles Sadler will certainly occupy a spot in the rotation, and the Mountaineers picked up three talented guards in the portal in Finley Bizjack, Martin Somerville, and Joson Sanon.
Factor in the fact that the Mountaineers also have at least four other players in the front court who are likely to see playing time, and that Hodge typically sticks with an eight-player lineup, and Jenkins may have to battle to keep a spot in the lineup for the Mountaineers.
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