More intriguing developments came out of NCAA men’s basketball on Wednesday—this time, unrelated to the ever-busy transfer portal. Instead, it was a classic case of recruiting drama.
As is often the case with top prospects, however, this recruiting story came with a twist: a player initially committed to one program only to flip his decision and commit elsewhere.
This latest update involves a team fresh off an NCAA Tournament appearance snagging a prized recruit from a program that missed out.
Trent MacLean, a four-star prospect in the 247 Sports rankings for the class of 2025, originally committed to West Virginia. But after head coach Darian DeVries departed for the Indiana job, MacLean reconsidered.
When MacLean first pledged to the Mountaineers, DeVries had high praise:
“We are elated to welcome Trent to our Mountaineer family. He possesses the rare combination of size and deep shooting range that perfectly fits our style of play. Trent’s best basketball is still ahead of him, and we look forward to helping him reach his full potential—both on and off the court.”
More intriguing developments emerged from NCAA men’s basketball on Wednesday—this time, not from the transfer portal, but through some old-school recruiting drama.
As often happens with top prospects, this story came with a twist: a player initially committed to one school, only to reverse course and choose another.
This latest update features a team that made the NCAA Tournament landing a coveted recruit from a program that didn’t.
Trent McLean, a four-star prospect in the 247 Sports rankings for the class of 2025, originally committed to West Virginia. But after head coach Darian DeVries left for the Indiana job, McLean reopened his recruitment and ultimately changed direction.
McLean brings strong basketball pedigree—he’s the son of Don McLean, a nine-year NBA veteran and former UCLA standout. A native of Westlake Village, McLean played his high school ball at SoCal Academy in Castaic, California, where he averaged 16 points and seven rebounds per game.
When McLean first committed to West Virginia, DeVries praised his game, saying:
“We are elated to welcome Trent to our Mountaineer family. He possesses the rare combination of size and deep shooting range that perfectly fits our style of play. Trent’s best basketball is still ahead of him, and we look forward to helping him reach his full potential—both on and off the court.”
McLean’s new home is a welcome boost for a program that’s had a rocky offseason. The Gaels were already preparing to replace three starters before Jordan Ross entered the transfer portal, leaving Paulius Murauskas as the lone returning starter for Randy Bennett heading into the 2025–26 season.
Leave a Reply