New WVU Coach Announces First Basketball Recruit for Upcoming Season - and it is a Positive Addition
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on April 01, 2024
As announced by West Virginia men’s basketball coach Darian DeVries last Thursday at his introductory press conference, Tucker DeVries has signed a grant-in-aid to attend WVU and play basketball for the Mountaineers in 2024-25.
DeVries, the son of Darian and Ashley DeVries, played the last three seasons for his father at Drake. He was the Larry Bird Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, the MVC Tournament Most Outstanding Player for the second straight year and is the only NCAA Division I men’s basketball player to average at least 20.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game. DeVries ranks ninth in NCAA
Division I in scoring (21.6 ppg) and is one of five players with 1,800 points since the 2021-22 season. He was recently named an Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention selection and was placed on the NABC All-District Team.
Division I in scoring (21.6 ppg) and is one of five players with 1,800 points since the 2021-22 season. He was recently named an Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention selection and was placed on the NABC All-District Team.
This past season, DeVries scored 734 points and reached double figures in all but one contest. He had career highs of 39 points and 13 rebounds at UIC. For his career, he has scored 1,867 points (18.0 ppg), grabbed 587 rebounds (5.6 rpg), handed out 261 assists and has 125 steals. He has started 97 of 104 career games played and has made 250 career 3-point field goals. DeVries has made 43.7% of his field goals, 35.9% of his 3-point field goals and 81.2% of his free throws.
“Obviously, we’re excited to have Tucker join our program,” coach DeVries said. “He has a tremendous skill set and his experience will be invaluable to us. We are grateful that he has chosen to play for us for his senior season.”
During his three seasons at Drake, he helped the Bulldogs to an 80-26 (.755) record with two NCAA Tournament appearances and two Missouri Valley Conference titles.
A 6-foot-7, 210-pound guard/forward from Waukee, Iowa, DeVries started all 34 games this past season, averaging 35.5 minutes per game. He shot 44.4% from the field, 36.3% from 3-point range and 81.3% from the free throw line. DeVries made 87 3-point field goals, averaged 6.7 rebounds per game, dished out 125 assists and had 53 steals.
As a sophomore, DeVries, averaged 18.6 points per game and was named MVP of the Paradise Jam Tournament after leading Drake to the championship. As a freshman, he averaged 13.9 points per game and was named MVC Freshman of the Year, All-MVC Second Team and All-MVC Newcomer Team.
Prior to Drake, DeVries was named 2020-21 Mr. Basketball in the state of Iowa after guiding Waukee High to the Iowa state championship. He was also named the Gatorade Iowa Boys Basketball Player of the Year. In three seasons at Waukee, DeVries scored 1,092 points with 430 rebounds, 268 assists and 121 steals. He set the school’s single season scoring record with 554 points his junior season.
Editor't Note: Tucker DeVries photo courtesy of Drake Men's Basketball Facebook page.
