MORGANTOWN — Jose Perez entered the transfer portal Wednesday, becoming the sixth WVU men’s basketball player to do so since Bob Huggins resigned on June 17.
The 6-foot-5 guard from the Bronx, N.Y., just may be the most curious of them all, as he’ll be enrolling at his fifth school in six years if he opts to sign at another university. Perez does have the option of returning to WVU.
Since Huggins’ resignation following a DUI charge last month in Pittsburgh, Tre Mitchell, Joe Toussaint, Kerr Kriisa, Mohamed Wague and James Okonkwo have all entered the portal, which remains open to WVU players until July 17, due to the coaching change that saw Josh Eilert promoted to interim on June 24.
Kriisa announced his return to WVU after Eilert’s promotion, but the rest of the roster has remained fluid ever since.
Mitchell transferred to Kentucky, Toussaint will play his final season at Texas Tech and Wague announced Wednesday he was committing to Alabama.
Okonkwo has yet to announce his plans for next season.
Perez never played at WVU since enrolling in 2022. He was denied a waiver for immediate eligibility by the NCAA, and that decision was upheld by a separate review board.
Perez was able to work out and practice with the Mountaineers last season but was forced to sit out the season to comply with transfer regulations.
He would need to apply for another waiver to be eligible for the 2023-24 season.
His career began in 2018 at Gardner-Webb, but he transferred to Marquette in 2020, receiving a waiver from the NCAA then for immediate eligibility.
Following COVID-19, all college athletes were granted a free transfer with immediate eligibility, which Perez used in 2021, when he transferred to Manhattan, where he averaged 18.9 points and 4.5 assists per game.
He was set to finish his career with the Jaspers, but former coach Steve Masiello was suddenly fired weeks before the 2022-23 season was to begin, setting up Perez’s transfer to WVU and his battle with the NCAA over immediate eligibility.
Prior to Perez entering the portal, he announced on social media on March 31 that he was returning to WVU.
“I’ll be back for the 2023-24 season,” Perez said in a 45-second video. “Mountaineer nation, let’s run it back. Let’s make a run.”
Huggins’ resignation has since changed the plans of WVU players.
As it stands, WVU currently has eight scholarship players — the NCAA limit is 13 — with transfer guards RaeQuan Battle and Omar Silverio still needing a waiver from the NCAA for eligibility for next season.
Both have used their one-time transfer, and neither is a graduate transfer. Athletes who have earned their college diplomas are permitted a free transfer by NCAA rules.
WVU is scheduled for a three-game exhibition tour of Italy in August, just prior to the start of the fall semester.
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