Baker must combine data points, fit in eventual WVU coach selection
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Every profile is different when it comes to the candidates to fill the vacant head basketball job at West Virginia. It’s about sorting through those to find the best fit.
Athletic Director Wren Baker is focused on a number of things to whittle down his list to the eventual selection. That will include an understanding of the state and its people, a leader on and off the court and the ability to adapt and adjust to the ever-changing college landscape.
Now that understanding of the state doesn’t have to mean that the coach is from West Virginia as Baker has pointed to several current coaches that are having success at the university that don’t meet that criteria which includes baseball coach Randy Mazey and men’s soccer coach Dan Stratford.
“I don’t believe you have to be from here to love it here and have success here,” Baker said.
Baker leans toward somebody that has already been a head coach because it is a difficult adjustment to learn on the job given how different it is from being an assistant.
“You really don’t know what comes with that job until you sit in that chair,” he said.
One thing that Baker does know that he wants for the position is a demonstrated track record of success at the division one level given the challenges of competing in the Big 12 Conference. The total body of work will be critical and could range to a varying number of candidates.
“Every profile is different,” Baker said.
But while on the court success and analytics can tell one story from afar, Baker believes that things will really kick into gear once he is able to sit down with potential candidates.
“Ultimately they start to look alike and that’s where the in-person interview sits in. You get the chance to sit with somebody and talk to them philosophically about the program, the state and gauge if they're truly a fit,” he said.
Baker has an idea of what he wants for the position but admitted that while there are a lot of boxes to check, nobody is going to check them all so the process is trying to determine the best fit based on the resume and what unfolds once he is able to meet with candidates.
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