Don’t Question Bob Huggins’ Desire
Brad Smith
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Bob Huggins is hungrier than ever. After a 15-21 record last season and critics questioning his place in today’s game, Bob Huggins is out to prove that he’s still one of the best coaches in the game. He shouldn’t, of course, have to prove anything. After all, he is one of the winningest coaches in college basketball history and universally known as one of the best minds in the history of the game. However, in today’s world where it’s expected to win win win regardless of the circumstances, a losing season is not always tolerated by rabid fan base like we have at West Virginia University.
It’s easy to forget that Huggins’ team was ready to compete with anyone in the Big 12 and in the country prior to the start of last season. The team was ranked 13th in the preseason rankings and were picked to finish 2nd in the Big 12. Sagaba Konate was a very different person before the beginning of the season. His injury was not going to stop him from playing and being one of the most dominant defensive forces in the country. Esa Ahmad and Wesley Harris, by all accounts, were never a problem within the locker room before. Circumstances changed and Bob Huggins unfortunately couldn’t fix it last year.
Although Huggins always has his team ready to compete with anyone, he’s really going out of his way this offseason to prepare for the worst. WVU struggled to score at key moments particularly from the perimeter. Bob Huggins went out and got his two top targets to remedy that particular issue. Tajzmel “Taz” Sherman and Sean McNeil were two of the very best perimeter scorers in junior college last season and are players that will adapt to Division I basketball without any issue. West Virginia lacked true leaders and frankly, real winners last year. Huggins’ answer? Stud recruits Oscar Tshiebwe and Miles McBride, who both won state championships as Seniors in high school.
There are almost certainly other issues with the team and there will be more circumstances that change before the start of next year, but believe that Bob Huggins will be prepared for anything and will get this fixed.
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