MORGANTOWN — West Virginia continues to put together key pieces in the construction of the hoops roster and the latest is another versatile option with some familiarity in Utah transfer forward Seydou Traore.
Traore, 6-foot-6, 220-pounds, spent one season with the Utes, where he averaged 9.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per contest while starting all 31 games. He shot 38.6-percent from the floor and 33.3-percent from three during his junior campaign.
That included a 17-point performance in a win over the Mountaineers where he shot 6-13 from the field and also collected five rebounds this past season.
A well-traveled option, Traore also spent a season at Iowa and started his career at Manhattan where he averaged 11.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
The New York native had narrowed his options down to West Virginia, Seton Hall and Connecticut before committing to the Big 12 Conference program and giving head coach Ross Hodge another piece that could play multiple roles this season.
Traore could be a possibility at the three of the four for the Mountaineers and is a very athletic forward that can score at the rim as well as being utilized to space the floor. He is a plus passer at his size with good court vision and also is an active defender.
Traore also has the added bonus of already spending a year in the Big 12 Conference so he understands the expectations and the challenges that lie ahead.
The talented option took an official visit to Morgantown prior to his decision and gives the basketball program an experienced option that has had success at multiple stops.
West Virginia is now up to 13 roster spots heading into the 2026-27 season and Traore has one season of eligibility remaining. Expect the Mountaineers to look at another versatile combo option moving forward with at least one of those.
—Story by Keenan Cummings
