MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Bob Huggins received the first new piece to next year’s West Virginia basketball team with a signed letter of intent from small forward Taj Thweatt on Wednesday.
Thweatt, a 6-foot-7, 195-pound wing from Wildwood, N.J., committed to the Mountaineers over offers from Temple, Florida and Penn State back in September. Wednesday marked the beginning of national signing week for sports other than football.
Thweatt will technically be the second freshman on next year’s roster. Jalen Bridges is on the current roster, but redshirting this season.
Thweatt is relatively new to the game, so there is plenty of room to grow.
In just his fourth year of playing organized basketball last season, he averaged 20.2 points and 10.7 rebounds per game as a junior at Wildwood Catholic High. He made 27 3-point field goals, shooting 36 percent from 3-point range. He was named the Press of Atlantic City player of the year and the Philadelphia Inquirer’s South Jersey player of the year.
“We are really excited to have Taj join the West Virginia family,” Huggins said in an official school release. “He brings much-needed athleticism and has the ability to play multiple positions on the front line. Taj is capable of being a 3-man who can play both offensively and defensively on the perimeter while equally playing and guarding in the post position. Taj has been very well-coached in high school.”
Huggins considers sophomore Emmitt Matthews as the only true small forward on West Virginia’s roster, which makes Thweatt a welcome addition.