MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia added some much-needed size to its frontcourt Friday by adding 6-foot-10 junior-college forward Ethan Richardson, out of Fresno (Calif.) City College.
Richardson, who averaged 16.3 points and 7.2 rebounds last season as a redshirt sophomore, committed to the Mountaineers over offers from Wyoming and North Dakota.
He is expected to have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
“It was just a great fit,” Richardson told The Fresno Bee. “When I took the (official) visit last weekend, it was incredible. The atmosphere … they’re all about the Mountaineers. I felt like it was a good vibe and it felt like a brotherhood like here at Fresno City.”
West Virginia will be Richardson’s fourth college in four years.
After graduating from Madera (Calif.) High, Richardson attended City College of San Francisco, where he played in just eight games and averages 11.9 points per game.
He transferred to Reedley (Calif.) College as a sophomore, but did not play and was redshirted.
He transferred to Fresno City last season and helped the team to a 28-4 record and a trip to the California Community College Athletic Association semifinals.
In the CCAA quarterfinals against Chaffey, Richardson had 23 points and 13 rebounds in a 68-56 victory.
The Mountaineers have needed some depth at the forward position since junior Sagaba Konate kept his name in the NBA Draft.
When Richardson signs a grant-in-aid, the Mountaneers will have two scholarships remaining in what has been a wild offseason.
The Mountaineers have five recruits in for next season — Richardson, Taz Sherman and Sean McNeil are all junior-college prospects and Miles McBride and Oscar Tshiebwe are incoming freshman.
McNeil and McBride are already enrolled and taking summer classes.
West Virginia lost Beetle Bolden, Trey Doomes, Andrew Gordon, Wes Harris and Lamont West to transfer, while Esa Ahmad graduated and Konate left to play professionally.
