MORGANTOWN — A pair of Mountaineers announced the start of their professional careers on Wednesday as WVU baseball’s Landon Wallace signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Angels and men’s basketball alum Kedrian Johnson inked a deal to play in the British Basketball League.
Wallace, a junior outfielder, signed a professional contract with the Angels late Tuesday after not being selected in the 2023 MLB Draft. A Roseville, California native, Wallace was named to the All-Big 12 second team in his only season with the Mountaineers after hitting .312 with 11 home runs, 11 doubles, three triples, 49 RBI, and 46 runs scored. He also implemented his speed into his game this year, setting a career-high with 17 stolen bases.
In three years in college, which included two at Nevada, Wallace hit .322 with 17 home runs, 101 RBI, and 109 runs scored. He also had a career on-base percentage of .452 while slugging .513, including .563 this past season.
Johnson’s deal with the Bristol Flyers of the British Basketball League was announced Wednesday morning.
“It means the world — I’ve worked my whole life to play professional basketball, so it means a lot to be able to accept this opportunity,” Johnson said in a statement issued by the club. “I’m excited to move to a new country and experience something that I haven’t experienced before.”
Johnson played three seasons with WVU after transferring from Temple College. He set career highs in 2022-23 averaging 11.7 points, 3.1 assists and 2.2 rebounds as WVU’s starting point guard.
“Coach wants me to come in and be a scorer and a playmaker on the team,” Johnson said. “I’m a big team player and I like to lead by example — I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. My message to the Flyers fans is to get excited because there’s a lot to be excited about this season.”
The BBL allows teams to roster three “import” players with citizenship from outside the European Union. The Flyers went 25-11 this year in the league’s 36-game season.
“Keddy is a player that can impact all areas of the game with his energy, defensive toughness, playmaking and scoring ability,” Bristol coach Andreas Kapoulas said in a statement. “From watching him play it is clear that he is all about the team and will do whatever it takes to win. We are excited to see him in a Flyers jersey.”
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