Akron honors Bob Huggins in move which raises debate on his WVU legacy

There has been a lot of Bob Huggins news popping up on all of our social media timelines lately.

Last week, the former WVU basketball head coach popped out to watch his former team's in-state rival Marshall while decked out in green-and-white gear. And just earlier this week, the first footage from an upcoming documentary on the legendary coach made the rounds online to a mostly positive reaction.

On Saturday, Huggins went viral online once again as he was in attendance at an Akron game – Huggins coached the Zips from 1984-1989, leading the program to a 97-46 record and one NCAA Tournament during his stint. During his appearance at the contest, he was recognized for his contributions by the PA announcer, and was received with raucous cheers and a standing ovation.

This has raised questions online about how the Mountaineers should treat their relationship with their former coach, which has been rocky since he resigned (or was fired, depending on which story you believe) following a one-month stint that saw him drop a slur on a radio show and get arrested for a DUI in Pittsburgh in the summer of 2023.

How should the West Virginia Mountaineers navigate their relationship with Bob Huggins

Huggins is without a doubt a Morgantown and a WVU legend. He was born in Morgantown before moving with his family to Ohio in his youth. He returned to finish his collegiate basketball career with the Mountaineers, averaging 13.2 points per game as a senior.

He then served as an assistant on the WVU staff in 1977-1978 before eventually becoming one of the top college coaches in the country. He returned as the program's head coach from 2007-2023, leading the Mountaineers to a 345-203 overall record, leading West Virginia to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, five Sweet 16 appearances, and one Final Four appearance.

You're unlikely to find many better college basketball coaches than Huggins, and his accomplishments as both a player and coach at WVU certainly warrant some recognition. Many always assumed it was all but locked in place that the court at the Coliseum would be named in his honor, and that he would be inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in due time. You could even argue his contributions are statue-worthy.

But nearly three years after the two parties parted ways, none of this happened, nor has it even been discussed publicly. The unsavory nature of the events leading to his departure, combined with a falling out that saw Huggins dispute sending a resignation letter to the university and allegedly threaten legal action against the school, has made reconciliation tough.

In the end, nothing may come about regarding Huggins getting the honor and recognition from West Virginia he deserves until he puts his pride aside and makes a phone call to the school to apologize.

While the legendary coach's impact at WVU cannot be overstated, it's also difficult to justify trotting him out for applause and accolades without acknowledgment that he is no longer coaching the program due to his own mistakes, and that he should have handled his departure with more professionalism and tact.

And it's not likely that Wren Baker or the school administration are going to be eager to reconcile without some effort on Huggins' behalf – bridges were burnt, and it understandably left a bad taste in the school's mouth. But one can only hope that the two parties eventually find a way to put their differences aside, because it's hard to disagree that he deserves some recognition for what he did on the hardwood in Morgantown.