West Virginia Parts Ways With Jose Perez

Well. One of these days we’re going to talk about what West Virginia is doing on the court. Today is not that day.

Sounds like more drama coming out of Morgantown…

— Trilly Donovan (@trillydonovan) September 30, 2023

West Virginia head coach Josh Eilert parted ways with fifth-year senior Jose Perez, the school announced Saturday night.

The issues began Wednesday when Perez and one other student-athlete missed a study hall appointment. Perez was absent from practice and away from the team the rest of the week. Disagreements over academic arrangements spilled into the weekend, with the conflict between Eilert and Perez escalating beyond repair.

In a public statement, Eilert said, “We wish Jose the best in his future endeavors.”

It’s unclear if the latest twist for Jose Perez signals the end of his collegiate career. Perez committed to West Virginia in October of last year following the dismissal of Manhattan coach Steve Masiello. His appeal to play right away was denied by the NCAA and he was forced to sit out the entirety of last season. Following Bob Huggins’ firing this summer, Perez entered the transfer portal to keep his options open. He was pursued by various high-major schools, but decided to recommit to West Virginia after the promotion of now-interim coach Josh Eilert. Perez can hire an agent and play professionally if he’s unable to find another school.

West Virginia’s off-season continues to play out like a cinematic thriller. You can read our interview about it with WVU Director of Recruiting Jay Kuntz here. In the interview, Kuntz described just how important Perez was in putting the roster back together.

“I would be miffed not to bring up the importance of Jose Perez during this entire process. Jose hosted every one of these visits. He was instrumental in making them feel comfortable while they were in Morgantown. I don’t want it to go unknown the important role he played in this entire off-season.”

After news broke of his dismissal from the team, Perez released the following statement on X (Twitter).

💔.. pic.twitter.com/zrGlwMr623

— Jose Perez (@showout_zayy0) October 1, 2023

West Virginia began official practice last week and will try to move forward following another off-court setback. The team is still waiting to hear a decision from the NCAA on the eligibility of Montana State transfer RaeQuan Battle. Battle is an important part of this roster and that role is magnified even more with the loss of Perez. If Battle is eligible, the team has enough talent to remain competitive in the perennially tough Big 12.

We’ll get our first look at the Mountaineers on October 27th when they host George Mason in a charity exhibition. The team opens their season on November 6th at home vs. Missouri State.

Follow @trillydonovan on X (Twitter). Stay tuned to burnerball.com to keep up with all things coaching carousel and transfer portal.

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