Ebanks Makes Decision
It was almost one year ago that Devin Ebanks originally committed to Indiana. But following the departure of Head Coach Kelvin Sampson, Ebanks asked for, and received, his release. At the time it was widely reported that he would consider only Memphis, Texas, and Rutgers with the possibility of one additional school. A few weeks later it was revealed that West Virginia was that mystery school.
In the two months that have since passed, the St. Thomas More star has visited all four campuses.
“I enjoyed my visit to West Virginia and just feel as though it’s the best situation for me,” Ebanks told Goodman.
With Darryl “Truck” Bryant, Roscoe Davis, and Kevin Jones, Bob Huggins and his staff had already put together a very solid recruiting class. But the addition of Ebanks quickly elevates the group to among that nation’s best. Not only was he a consensus top 15 prospect by virtually every major recruiting network, but he was also the best unsigned player left in the country.
“I really respect Coach (Bob) Huggins and I trust what he’s saying,” Ebanks told FOXSports.com. “I also feel like I can make an impact quickly at West Virginia.”
Exactly what Ebanks’ role will be next year is likely to be determined in the next few weeks. West Virginia junior Joe Alexander has declared for the NBA Draft but not yet hired an agent. The forward was one of the nation’s hottest players during March Madness this year as he guided the Mountaineers to the Big East Tournament semi-finals as well as the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
If Alexander returns, he would be a candidate for pre-season player of the year in both the Big East and the country. The trio of Alexander, Ebanks, and rising junior Da’Sean Butler would make for one of the most talented, and versatile, frontcourts in the Big East. In the event that Alexander opts to stay in the draft, Ebanks will have an opportunity to become a focal point of the West Virginia offense right away.
Being “the man” on the offensive end is nothing new for the Brooklyn native. He scored over 1000 points during only two years at St. Thomas More after averaging 23 points per game. Among his many accolades are appearances in last month’s Jordan Brand All-Star Game as well as the 2007 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival where he averaged almost 28 points per game.
Devin Ebanks