MORGANTOWN — Javan Buchanan's attempt to receive a waiver from the NCAA in order to be eligible at West Virginia for the 2026-27 season has been denied, WVU head coach Ross Hodge confirmed Thursday. Buchanan, a 6-foot-7 transfer forward who played the last two seasons at Boise State, signed with WVU out of the portal in April. WVU signed Buchanan knowing he would need a NCAA waiver for a fifth season of eligibility in order to play for the Mountaineers during the 2025-26 season. Those waivers were granted prior to the NCAA passing its new age-based eligibility rule on June 23, essentially known as the 5 for 5 rule. "Amir had surgery on his left shoulder pretty quickly after the season," Hodge said.