West Virginia Isn't a Stepping Stone Job, It's a Sleeping Giant

Success will return to Morgantown, and Wren Baker is one hire away from the Mountaineers being a problem in the Big 12.

West Virginia University Basketball / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

Just when everyone thought West Virginia's men's basketball program was getting back on track and had the right coach in place to make them nationally relevant again, the coach up and left after just one year on the job.

The way DeVries handled his exit is a big reason why Mountaineer fans are upset. He essentially admitted that he was in talks with Indiana before the end of the season, left without giving WVU a chance to counter Indiana's offer, and, of course, the management of his injured son, Tucker, who redshirted this season to return in 2025-26.

I have a big problem, as I'm sure many others do, with any coach talking to another school while their season is still ongoing. It's unfair to the players and even the assistants on staff. There's obviously no way that Indiana reached out after they found out WVU was snubbed from the tournament, had a few rounds of talks, negotiated a deal, and finalized a contract within 48 hours.

West Virginia University head coach Darian DeVries / Christopher Hall - West Virginia on SI

In all likelihood, DeVries had his mind already made up before the team watched the Selection Sunday show together. That's a tough deal.

But the bigger picture here is that a significant portion of the fan base fears that this could become a theme at WVU. An up-and-coming coach comes to Morgantown, has success, and bolts for a bigger opportunity where there is more money on the table.

It's easy to see why many would think this way or have that fear, but let's not overreact.

For a minute, put yourself in DeVries' shoes. He's from the Midwest and has always admired Indiana from afar. He saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead one of the most respected brands in all of college basketball. Again, it doesn't excuse how the whole ordeal went down, but it also doesn't mean that this is a stepping-stone job. If Indiana doesn't come open or they don't offer him, DeVries is back at WVU and building on a strong first year.

The right person who sees the value, the resources, and the commitment will be here for the long haul. It's not going to become this never-ending revolving door. Plus, if you look around, all of the blue blood jobs are filled - Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, UCLA, Indiana, and UConn - have their guy and aren't making a move anytime soon. Hubert Davis at North Carolina is really the only one who has an uncertain future but appears to be committed to him for the time being.

How do you ensure that the next guy sticks around? Someone who truly understands the "sleeping giant" West Virginia basketball is. Someone who understands how much the Mountaineers mean to the people in this state. And most importantly, someone who wants to plant roots and build here. Not have a strong year or two and look for something bigger. Wren Baker will find that guy.

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