'Forever Be in His Debt': Why Ohio State G Sean McNeil Is Thankful for Coach Bob Huggins

Ohio State Buckeyes guard Sean McNeil played for West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Bob Huggins from 2019-22, who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022.

Author:
Casey Smith
Mar 1, 2023 11:00 AM EST

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Ohio State Buckeyes

The West Virginia Mountaineers were going through a rough patch and hitting the road for a two-game trip away from Morgantown, WV.

Mountaineers guards Sean McNeil and Jordan McCabe were invited back to head coach Bob Huggins' room where they stayed until "2 or 3 in the morning," as the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee told them stories.

"I was up there for like an hour and I looked at Jordan, I was like, 'Do we want to go back to the room or?'" McNeil said. "You know, just kept talking, kept talking. And so I was like, 'I'm going to just stay up here and keep listening.'"

Despite transferring to join the Ohio State Buckeyes over last offseason, McNeil said Huggins is a "legendary coach, legendary guy" and someone you want to be around "as much as you can."

"I can't say enough good things about him," McNeil said. "He's everything you can imagine on the floor, but off the floor, he's an even better dude."

Huggins gave McNeil a second chance in his basketball career.

The Union, KY. native didn't immediately play basketball after graduating from Cooper High School in 2017, turning down a Division II scholarship offer to go to college near his hometown.

His freshman season in 2018, he lit up the National Junior College Athletic Association circuit at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, OH. en route to Division II First Team All-American honors.

Against Bryant & Stratton College of Cleveland, he set the Sinclair program record with 55 points.

The year after, he got his first Power Five scholarship from Huggins at West Virginia where he spent the last three years. He played in 89 games while averaging 10.1 points per game and knocking down 3-pointers at a 36.8 percent clip.

"For him to take a chance on me and give me that opportunity is something I'll never be able to repay him for," McNeil said. "I'll forever be in his debt."

So far in his lone season in Columbus, McNeil has averaged 9.6 points per game while nailing 35.3 percent of his attempts from deep. He will join guard Isaac Likekele and forward Justice Sueing as the trio being honored on the Buckeyes' senior day Wednesday against the Maryland Terrapins.

McNeil said this season with the Buckeyes, he's built relationships that he'll "carry on with me for the rest of my life." However, he said his three years at West Virginia "will hit home a little more than my one year here," rooting for Huggins and the Mountaineers make this year's NCAA Tournament.

He said he loves "Hugs to death."

"I'm super excited that he's a part of my life, a mentor," McNeil said. "I can't wait to go back hopefully this summer and see him and catch up a little bit."