MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — As Bob Huggins and the WVU men’s basketball coaching staff craft their roster for the 2023-2024 season, a recent addition to the team will indeed make his debut next season. 6-foot-5 guard Jose Perez announced on Twitter Friday afternoon that he will play for the Mountaineers next winter.
Let’s clear the air 🤍 pic.twitter.com/to55t7VAF6
— Jose Perez (@showout_zayy0) March 31, 2023
Perez enrolled at WVU on November 17, 2022 with hopes to be cleared to play by the NCAA. After a lengthy appeals process, the NCAA denied Perez immediate eligibility but allowed him to play in the 2023-2024 season. Perez was able to practice with his WVU teammates during the spring semester.
Perez transferred from Manhattan following the removal of previous head coach Steve Masiello less than two weeks out from this year’s season opener.
Perez was the 2021-2022 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Preseason Player of the year at Manhattan after he averaged 18.9 points, 4.5 assists and 3.2 rebounds last season.
A native of the Bronx, N.Y., Perez previously played his first two seasons at Gardner-Webb and then one at Marquette.
Fellow former Manhattan guard Omar Silverio announced his verbal commitment to play for the Mountaineers on March 2.
With Perez’s decision to remain in Morgantown, WVU has two scholarship openings remaining if all players with eligibility opt to return. Kedrian Johnson, Erik Stevenson and Emmitt Matthews Jr. exhausted their eligibility this season. Guards Jamel King and Josiah Davis have announced their plans to transfer from the program.