Josh Eilert Gives West Virginia's Javon Small the Ultimate Compliment

The former WVU assistant and interim coach thinks a lot of the Mountaineers' star guard.

Mar 4, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Utes guard head coach Josh Eilert watches play against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the first half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

West Virginia guard Javon Small has been a nightmare for opposing teams this season. He's the central focus of every scouting report on West Virginia, yet he always finds a way to impact the game, even if he's not scoring 15-20 points.

He's a playmaker that stays composed, doesn't try to make things happen that aren't there, and because of it, he's turned into one of the most productive players in the entire country, and certainly the Big 12 Conference.

Following his 18-point, seven-assist, four-rebound game in the win on Tuesday night, Utah interim head coach Josh Eilert didn't hide his end-of-year vote for Big 12 Player of the Year.

Mar 4, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Javon Small (7) brings the ball up the court against the Utah Utes during the first half at Jon M. Huntsman Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

“He’s got my vote. He’s the ultimate winner," Eilert stated. "I saw him last year at Oklahoma State and he hit a big three against us late and it was a very similar game that I managed in Stillwater against him. He hit that critical three late against us again. He’s a winner. He plays the game the right way. He doesn’t force things when he doesn’t have to. A lot of people are throwing a lot of different guys at him and being really physical with him and he keeps on producing.”

Most years, the award is typically given to the best player on the best team or one of the top teams in the league. That shouldn't be the case this season. You can't identify one other player in the Big 12 who is more valuable to his team than Javon Small is to West Virginia. If it weren't for him, the Mountaineers would be nowhere near the NCAA Tournament.

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