There has been a shake-up in WVU's 2026 recruiting class.
Reports indicate that three-starguard Kingston Whitty has parted ways with the Mountaineers after signing with the program last season. There seems to be some conflict on whether West Virginia is cutting Whitty loose or if Whitty wanted to re-open his recruitment for other reasons.
With the move, the Mountaineers are down to three commits in their 2026 recruiting class – but things may not stay that way for long for head coach Ross Hodge.
Could Kingston Whitty's de-commitment a sign Paul Osaruyi is headed to the West Virginia Mountaineers?
There are only 15 roster spots available on a team each season, and Ross Hodge has consistently proven to favor an eight-man rotation, sometimes stretching it to nine players. That means a number of the roster is going to be sitting on the bench for the majority of the season.
And there has been a ton of speculation that five-star 2027 prospect Paul Osaruyi, a current teammate of West Virginia signees Aliou Dioum and Miles Sadler, could be reclassifying to play collegiately next season. He's the top-ranked center and a Top 5 player nationally in his current class according to 247Sports, and it's been well documented that the Mountaineers are among his top options.
So Whitty's decision, whether his hand was forced or came to a realization of his own accord, could be a sign that Osaruyi might make good on reclassifying and that the Mountaineers are getting closer to landing him. While the two don't play the same position, WVU does have an elite guard coming aboard in Sadler and another wing commit in their 2026 class with in-state native Max Olejasz. They may also feel good about retaining Amir Jenkins next season.
So don't take Whitty's decision to be a bad sign entering Hodge's second year. He is likely an underrated three-star and would have been an amazing addition to the program, but this could be a sign something bigger is on the way for Hodge and his team.