Round The Game

Excuse my passion, but what the hell has taken so long? I mean honestly. Seeing the new nominees for the Naismith Hall of Fame is one of my favorite things to look forward to during basketball season. Just last year, two of my favorite players of all time were inducted in Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant. Those two have had careers obviously worth hall of fame status: two MVPs, six total championships, countless All-NBA and All-Star selections, the list goes on and on. Two careers who have made it quite apparent that they BELONG in the Hall. If being an undeniable Hall of Famer is the standard to be enshrined, then why oh why has one Bob Huggins been eligible for four years, but has yet to make it in? What exactly is the hold up?

    The accolades are staggering. Three time Conference USA Coach of the Year, Conference USA Coach of the Decade in 2005, Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2015, multiple regular season and tournament wins, not to mention the fact that he’s nearing 900 career wins (888 at the time of writing this article.) His resume is very clearly one of the very best to ever be on the sidelines, especially for current coaches that are not in the Hall of Fame yet, although there are certainly some that deserve the praise as well. What I am having a hard time understanding is why Huggins hasn’t been inducted yet. It isn’t his resumé’, it isn’t his off the court persona, it isn’t anything tangible that I can tell, so why? Why has he been eligible for four years now, and not gotten the nod?

   You want players sent to the league? Jevon Carter, Joe Alexander, Kenyon Martin, Nick Val Exel, Devin Ebanks. You want players playing professionally in  other leagues? Da’sean Butler, John Flowers, Sagaba Konate, Kevin Jones. You even have players that have made a successful transition from playing to coaching like Joe Mazzulla. Bob Huggins has been able to develop and mold talent to be able to succeed in multiple facets of the game of basketball, and I believe that this skill is not something that cannot be easily accessed. Huggins has a clear connection with his former players. It is no secret that former players come back to Morgantown frequently to work with the current WVU squad, get reps in, and more importantly, be back with a coach that truly cares about that. If you’re still in doubt about how a player and a coach can be on such a close personal level, look no further than the moment that was shared between Huggins and Da’sean Butler in the Final Four in 2010. 

    This is not meant to come off as a “why is he not in when so-and-so is” take. I believe that every single person who is lucky enough to be inducted into the Nesmith Hall of Fame deserves their spot, especially at the coaching position. So many deserving members of the Hall like Bobby Night, Red Auerbach, John Wooden, John Thompson, Pat Summit, Phil Jackson, the list goes on and on. I love the sport of basketball, and I am proud that this Hall of Fame isn’t something that just anyone can get into, but what I want is for people to get their roses while they’re still around. We shouldn’t have to wait to appreciate greatness. So let’s not wait any longer. Get Bob Huggins into this year’s Hall of Fame class. As a fan of the game, nothing would make me happier than to see Huggins go in the same year as greats like Paul Pierce, Chris Bosh, Rip Hamilton, Swin Cash, and Becky Hammon. 

    Bob Huggins has left quite the impression on myself and the entire state of West Virginia with his tenure as head coach. The effects that he’s had on the school and the state will be felt for generations. He has developed a culture at WVU, and it has carried on to the state’s hard working folk. To steal a phrase, WVU wants respect, the people of West Virginia wants respect, Mountaineer Nation wants its respect, and I want Bob Huggins to get his damn respect too.