At this stage of the college basketball offseason, there aren’t many players who are sure bets to play at the high-major level. One of them who has shown it is Arturo Dean, a 5’11 ball-handler from Miami, who has played at Florida International and Oklahoma State. 

Last season, Dean played for the Cowboys. He started 21 out of 34 games, averaging 7.6 ppg and 3.4 apg in 24 mpg on 39% shooting from the field and 28% from three-point range. The junior playmaker had 10 games of double-digit scoring, including 16 points and seven rebounds in a win over UCF and eight points and eight assists in a victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats.

Dean was one of the later entrants to the transfer portal, and he’s still available with one more year of eligibility. And now, two teams are reportedly in the mix to land the guard. But which of them makes more sense for his services?

After having one of the worst offenses in college basketball, the Pirates have taken a while to rebuild their roster, including several late pickups. All of them, including Adam Clark (Merrimack) and Elijah Fisher (Pacific), are either mid-major stars or power conference players who haven’t played much at a high level. 

Dean, while not a star in his own right, would give them a capable rotation player and also give them a floor in the Big East. On a roster that includes several unknowns, the former Cowboy would give them a steady hand in the backcourt.

New head coach Ross Hodge has a completely new roster, filled mostly with mid-major transfers. The current projected starting PG is Jasper Floyd, who comes with the coach from North Texas, coming off averaging 9.0 ppg and 3.9 apg in the AAC. 

Floyd may have the advantage as the potential starting PG for the Mountaineers, but on paper, Dean would have a shot to at least share the lead ball-handling duties with him next season. Most importantly, WVU would have someone with experience in the Big 12 in the backcourt rotation.