Ofri Naveh Commits to Staying at WVU, Forgoes Transfer Portal

A piece of last year's team is staying put.

Nov 22, 2023; Fort Myers, FL, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers forward Ofri Naveh (9) looks to pass / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The transfer portal is officially closed and after several weeks of consideration, West Virginia forward Ofri Naveh announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he will return to the program for his sophomore season.

Blue & Gold ♾️ pic.twitter.com/RcFgTO2S8L

— Ofri Naveh (@OfriNaveh) May 1, 2024

Naveh was a late addition to the roster last summer, committing to WVU on July 28th and signing with the team on August 9th.

Naveh averaged 11.0, 7.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.0 blocks per game in the FIBA U18 European Championship last year in seven games with Israel, shooting 54% from the field, including 47% from 3-point range and 67% from the free throw line.

During his first season with the Mountaineers, Naveh appeared in 24 games (seven starts) and averaged 2.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game while shooting 29% from the floor and 27% from three-point range. He had his best outing of the year against Pitt in the Backyard Brawl, scoring 11 points on 5-of-13 shots. He also recorded four rebounds and three assists.

Naveh is the only player from last year's team to stay put. Football defensive back Aden Tagaloa-Nelson joined the team midway through the season, but his future with the basketball team is unclear at this point.

Naveh will have three years of eligibility remaining.