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Bob Huggins Talks Hall of Fame Induction, Credits Late Father

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After the formal announcement by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame that Bob Huggins would be a member of the Class of 2022, the West Virginia head coach met with the media.

Of course in Huggins fashion, he doesn’t make it about himself, but the person that helped him become a successful coach in basketball and in life, his late father, Charlie.

“I’m a son of a coach, so I’ve been around the game my whole life. My dad was one of the great coaches,” Huggins said. “I didn’t realize what a great coach he was until I read his obituary. He won 88 percent of his games. I appreciate this, I appreciate the induction, proud to be here.”

The fourth-winningest coach in NCAA Division I basketball was asked about what his father would’ve said to him today. Charlie Huggins passed away last April.

“I’m not sure. He said a lot of things to me. I think he would be proud,” Huggins said.

Huggins didn’t just thank his father and the rest of his family, but all of the coaches that he has gone up against throughout his 45-year career.

“My peers have been unbelievable. The camaraderie that we have as coaches,” Huggins said. “I couldn’t count all the text messages that I’ve gotten, but a great majority of those from coaches. I’m the son of a coach, that’s all I know.”

Huggins has won 916 career games spanning five coaching tenures at Walsh College, Akron, Cincinnati, Kansas State, and West Virginia. Huggins returned to his alma mater in 2007, taking the Mountaineers to their second Final Four in school history in 2010. He is second in all-time coaching wins at WVU, with 326.

Huggins, along with all-time players, coaches and officials from the NBA, NCAA and international play have been voted on to determine the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2022; the 68-year-old made it to the final stages for the class of 2021 before being left off the list. In February, Huggins was named a finalist once again.

Huggins will join Swin Cash, Larry Costello, Hugh Evans, Manu Ginobili, Tim Hardaway, Del Harris, Lou Hudson, George Karl, Radivoje Korac, Theresa Shank-Grentz, Marianne Stanley and Lindsay Whalen in Springfield, Ma. on Sept. 9-10.

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