The official list of layers invited to the NBA Combine in Chicago next week was released moments ago and one player was noticeably absent:  Sagaba Konate, West Virginia University’s most dominant shot blocker ever, has not been invited to participate. 

Arkell Bruce has been the head coach of Huntington Prep, a perennial high school basketball powerhouse.  Huntington Prep is a top ten high school basketball program in the country and all players on their roster are considered Division I prospects.  As Bruce informed us, they currently have the top seven players in the state of West Virginia on their roster.

Oscar Tshiebwe, the WVU commit from Kennedy Catholic High School in Pennsylvania, has been ranked the the 22nd best overall recruit and the #7 best center in the 2019 class according to 247 Sports.  

Chet Holmgren, the 7’0 190 pound (not a misprint) center from Minneapolis, Minnesota, is blowing up on the recruiting circuit.  Holmgren, a 4 star prospect and 25th rated overall prospect in the country in the 2021 according to Rivals, has received 11 offers including Baylor, California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Texas A & M, Vanderbilt, Western Kentucky, Wisconsin and, just recently, West Virginia. 

Jordan McCabe is going to be a real treat for Mountaineer fans to watch and cheer for over the next 3 years.  McCabe, the 6’0 boy wonder  who turned into a full grown man during his Freshman season in the Big 12, went through the usual first-year struggles in college.

Kris Abrams-Draine, the 5’11 160 pound wide receiver out of Spanish Fort, Alabama, has narrowed his recruitment list to seven teams:  Tennessee, Georgia Tech, Floria, Florida State, Ole Miss, Oregon and West Virginia. 

Beau Allen, the 6’2 200 pound pro-style quarterback from Lexington, Kentucky, has committed to…

John Hughes, the 6’5 305 pound walking mountain of a man, has committed to West Virginia University. 

Dont’e Thornton Jr., the 6’4 180 pound 4 star Penn State commit from Baltimore, MD, may not be quite as committed to the Nittany Lions as once thought.

Spencer Macke, the leading high school basketball scorer and rebounder in the state of Kentucky, will be a preferred walk-on next year for Coach Bob Huggins and the West Virginia Mountaineers.  Averaging 34.9 points and 15.8 rebounds last year at Silver Grove High School, Macke dominated his competition.