THIS IS THE FIRST of a two-part series with WVU men’s basketball recruit Isaiah Cottrell.
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — The temptations of starting a professional career as early as possible were very real to Isaiah Cottrell.
In the end, the 6-foot-9 forward who is wrapping up his senior year of high school at Huntington Prep before enrolling at WVU this summer, said he wanted to experience what college life felt like.
“The thought of maybe going overseas for a year, or two, was definitely interesting,” Cottrell said. “You could go over and make $500,000. That’s a lot of money and it’s all there right in your hand. You can have it whenever you needed it.”
Even with an athletic scholarship and cost-of-living-stipends afforded to college student-athletes, Cottrell will not come close to making that next season with the Mountaineers.
The Las Vegas native is part of a 2020 recruiting class that suddenly had more options than just going to college or playing overseas thrust upon it, courtesy of the G League’s new program for elite prospects.
Top 2020 prospects like Daishen Nix, Jalen Green and Isaiah Todd have already signed up. According to a report from ESPN, they could be paid $500,000 this season while playing in exhibition games and working with NBA coaches and instructors before they are eligible for the 2021 NBA Draft.
Like them, Cotrell, too, was a highly-recruited prospect, although ranked lower in the top 100 (No. 77 by Rivals.com).
“I really think the G League route will be difficult for the top guys to pass up,” Cottrell said. “You have to understand, someone like Jalen Green or Daishen Nix, they were going to be one-and-done in college. They weren’t going to stick around any longer.”
That is not the fast lane Cottrell envisions for himself.
“For me personally, my whole life I’ve dreamed of playing in college and playing in the NCAA tournament,” he said. “I get a chance to play with an amazing coach (Bob Huggins) and be around some amazing teammates.
“For me, if I get to do that for two or even three years, that’s what has me excited to play.”
Plus, he wouldn’t have to learn a new language by going overseas.
“That makes a big difference, too,” Cottrell said.
He faces two more weeks of online classes before finals and the end of his high school career. They will not be easy.
“It’s just so difficult right now doing everything online,” Cottrell said. “It’s really hard not being in a classroom and having someone right there who can help you.”
His basketball days since the start of the coronavirus pandemic are now spent at an outdoor court in his neighborhood, “It’s usually pretty windy here, so that’s pretty tough.”
There is also a local church with a gym that opens its doors a couple days each week.
“For the most part, I’ve just tried to stay busy,” he said. “I’ve been doing a lot of push-ups at home and things like that to stay in shape.”
His plans are to enroll at WVU in June and begin online courses while at home in Las Vegas.
Outside of that, little is certain.
“I’m looking forward to going back home for a while,” Cottrell said. “This has been a crazy time for everyone. I’m like everybody else, just waiting to see what happens next.”
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