Mountaineer Maven's WVU All-2010s Basketball Team
With the end of the 2019-20 season, another full decade of West Virginia basketball came to a close. As a result, now is as good a time as any to determine the best Mountaineers of the last ten years.
To qualify for the list, a player must have played at least one full season in the decade. Therefore, the earliest possible season is 2010-11, making 2010 seniors like Da'Sean Butler ineligible.
In the comments below, add your lineup for the greatest West Virginia basketball players of the 2010s.
PG-Jevon Carter (2014-18)
If there was ever a player who fit what Bob Huggins stands for as the coach at West Virginia, it's Jevon Carter. From the famous story of Carter standing out through playing smothering defense in an early morning game to the day he walked down the carpet on senior day, he exemplified the spirit of Huggins' program.
Over four years, Carter went from an undersized and under-recruited shooting guard to an NBA-caliber point guard, coming to define the Press Virginia-era of Mountaineer basketball. He finished his career with a stellar senior season, averaging 17.3 points, 6.6 assists, and 3.0 steals per game on his way to finishing eighth in scoring, second in assists and first in steals in school history.
SG-Daxter Miles, Jr. (2014-18)
There is an argument to be made for Eron Harris in this spot but his transfer to Michigan State makes the steady presence of Miles the pick here. While never a superstar, Miles brought physical defense and some scoring punch across his four years, earning a starting role as a freshman.
His work over his time in Morgantown paid off as the Mountaineers' success during the Press Virginia-era would not have been the same without him and the hustle he brought to every game. He capped off his career with 1,311 points, good enough for 25th in school history, and 177 steals which places 8th all-time.
SF-Nathan Adrian (2013-17)
While many West Virginia fans would have loved to see Esa Ahmad earn this spot, his production was never able to match his talent, meaning Morgantown's own Nathan Adrian will fit here nicely. Despite injuries throughout his four years, Adrian battled through and while never a stat sheet stuffer, he was the kid of calming presence that every great team needs.
Beloved for his gritty play and never-ending hustle, he became one of the best teammates and role players the Mountaineers have seen in the last ten years. Finishing his career on a high note with averages of 9.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists as a senior, Adrian will go down in history as a player who did whatever out took for his team to be successful, a key part of Press Virginia's success.
PF-Kevin Jones (2008-12)
While his contributions to the 2010 Final Four team will be the thing that puts Kevin Jones in the history books, the seasons that followed were some of the greatest performances Mountaineer basketball has ever seen. Not only can he be considered one fo the best players of the decade, he should be thought of as one the best in school history.
With the ability to play inside and outside at 6'8", Jones used strong post play, perimeter shooting, and elite rebounding to be one of the Big East's best players during West Virginia's last seasons in the conference. Following a senior season where he finished with 19.9 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, he capped off his career as the university's fifth-leading scorer, fourth-leading rebounder, and leading offensive rebounder by over 100 boards.
C-Sagaba Konate (2016-19)
While the end of his career in gold and blue was not ideal, the success West Virginia had in the Press Virginia-era would not have been the same with the greatest shot blocker in school history protecting the rim. Coming in as a raw prospect and leaving as a professional-caliber player, Konate has to be seen as one of Bob Huggins' biggest success stories regardless of how he left the program.
Armed with some of the best timing college basketball has ever seen, his elite ability to turn opponents away at the rim made for countless highlight plays throughout his Mountaineer career. Before leaving for the professional ranks, Konate swatted a school-record 191 shots, including an average of 3.2 per game during his final full season in 2017-18.
Honorable Mention
PG-Darryl "Truck" Bryant (2008-12)
PG-Juwan Staten (2012-15)
SG-Eron Harris (2012-14)
SG-Jaysean Paige (2014-16)
SF-Esa Ahmad (2015-19)
PF-Jonathan Holton (2014-16)
C-Devin Williams (2014-16)
What did we get right? What did we get wrong? Comment down below with your all-decade team for WVU basketball.
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