James Reese V, despite never playing for WVU basketball, finds himself a fan-favorite among Mountaineer fans and the state of West Virginia as he has played a massive role in leading WVU alumni squad Best Virginia to the semifinal round of The Basketball Tournament (TBT). But he can also share some insight on the future for the Mountaineers, as he is quite familiar with incoming WVU head coach Ross Hodge.
Reese played at North Texas while Hodge was an assistant coach underneath Grant McCasland at the school (before inheriting the head coaching gig down the line), and Hodge was one of the connections that brought him to the Best Virginia roster this summer. When asked after Monday's game about any advice he'd share with the current WVU roster about what it's like to play for Hodge, he painted a picture Hodge as a coach that should have WVU fans plenty excited for the program's future under their new coach.
"As long as you're ready to run though a wall, you'll be fine," Reese said. "As long as you're about family-oriented, you know, being about family, not downing nobody, coming in every day prepared, and being a good person and good man, a good family man, you'll be good with Coach Hodge."
Reese also made a point to touch upon the fact that Hodge does more than prepare his team to win on the hardwood -- he also prepares his players to be successful off the court and helps develop them as young adult men.
"It don't really be about basketball with him, because he's a life guy," Reese said. "There's more to basketball, so, you know what I'm saying. It's always great having that and I'd tell [the WVU players] just embrace it. Because he's a genuine guy, and everyone loves being around genuine people."