West Virginia big Cottrell ready to showcase complete skill set

Isaiah Cottrell has overcome a lot during his brief tenure with the West Virginia basketball team.

The 6-foot-10 versatile forward torn his left Achilles last December and was given a timeline of eight months to a year in order to recover. That meant extensive rehab five or six days a week in order to even get back on the court to play basketball.

The heralded big man arrived in Morgantown with high expectations but his season was derailed before it ever really had a chance to begin last year due to the injury.

“It was definitely tough. I couldn’t do regular things like run or walk for the first three months. It was really tedious, a lot of little things I had to work on like getting my calf strength back,” he said.

Obviously physically limited, Cottrell would often sit flat footed shooting the basketball as a way to stay connected to the game he loved. Through that process, he increased not only his range but his touch. He did the same with passing and over tike improved there, as well.

Through that work, Cottrell beat the odds and was back on the court in seven months and that was with zero limitations. It was something that caught the attention of head coach Bob Huggins in the summer.

“I thought he would be a little ginger with it but he’s out there running up and down playing, running and jumping he hasn’t shown any signs of maybe favoring the other leg,” Huggins said.

And it’s not just Huggins either. His teammates have seen the same development.

“Isaiah has been great so far. He’s just as athletic as he was. He’s way stronger, he’s much more of a physical presence than he used to be,” sophomore Jalen Bridges said. “At the same time he can stretch the floor, he knocks down shots from the mid-post, extended post and three. He has good ball skills, so he brings a lot of confidence to the table.”

Cottrell is a skilled big, one that can pick and pop and hit shots on the perimeter. He can also pass the ball and is a fit for what the Mountaineers want to do by spacing the floor. He appeared in only ten games last season, but admits that time was invaluable for his overall development.

In large part because he felt he was just starting to get his feet under him on the court when the injury quite literally took that away from him.

“It prepared me a lot for this year,” he said.

The big believes that last season helped him improve his overall basketball IQ simply by watching the games from the bench and soaking up information from the coaching staff. And while many have an idea of what Cottrell can bring to the table he’s excited to showcase what he can do.

“I don’t think a lot of people got to see what I could have shown,” he said. “I’m definitely excited to show that I can do all-around. Show I’m a mismatch and I can play anywhere on the floor.”

Shooting is one area that people expect out of Cottrell despite his size and he hasn’t disappointed in pre-season practice to date as Huggins believes he has done that well. But there is more to his game than just that and he has proven himself more than capable in the post.

It's certainly a part of his overall skill set and one that he is excited to showcase.

“I was always good inside. I think it’s just the way I played before, outside and find the open space and try to make plays from there. But I can pretty much do anything on the court. I definitely have been trying to get a lot better in the post just strength wise,” he said.

He has shown the ability to post up with great footwork and is more agile than you’d expect. That allows him to face up and beat other bigs to the basket.

It’s been a grueling seven-months but Cottrell is excited to showcase the work he’s put into returning and give the Mountaineers a versatile big in the process.

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