Photo by: All Pro Photography/Dale Sparks
Baker Confident Better Days Are Ahead For DeVries and Mountaineer Basketball
April 01, 2024 03:38 PM | Men's Basketball, Blog
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University director of athletics Wren Baker firmly believes better days are ahead for Mountaineer men's basketball with Darian DeVries leading the program.
Baker sat down with Tony Caridi late last week to discuss his decision to make the Aplington, Iowa, native West Virginia's 23rd coach.
Baker listed three key elements that he was looking for in a new coach, beginning with a defensive approach. West Virginia's last-place finish in the Big 12 this year, in part, was a result of its inability to stop other teams.
The Mountaineers gave up 90 or more points in six of their final 10 games.
"I think in the Big 12, you've got to have a team that plays defense, rebounds and values the basketball," Baker explained. "So, you are looking for a well-rounded candidate. There are candidates out there whose teams get a high volume of shots, or they shoot a high percentage, but are not as good defensively. To have a team that competes at the top of this conference, we needed somebody who was really balanced."
Baker also wanted someone who was willing to learn and understand the values of West Virginians and embrace them. He also wanted a coach with a plan for the current climate that includes the transfer portal and Name, Image and Likeness.
"We wanted somebody who had a plan for how they were going to recruit and retain in the day of NIL and the portal, while still recruiting high school talent in the Northeast," he said. "That's still an important component to having success here, so when we put all those together, coach DeVries answered those and more, and we're really excited to have him."
At the outset, Baker indicated the search process could go quickly, and it ultimately did. He managed to get his guy while others are still searching.
"We had a lot of time over the course of the last few weeks to do our homework and to get ready," he admitted. "I knew all the statistics, but what you don't know is how people's season schedules are going to line up? I was ready to close it in a week, but you are dictated a little bit by the NCAA Tournament schedule.
"We were able to get in front of our finalists and do that all before that first weekend was over, and that allowed us to quickly move after the first weekend of the tournament. It went about as close to script as any search I've had, and we're really pleased with where it ended up."
What West Virginia is getting in DeVries is a proven winner loyal to the places he's worked. He spent 20 years at Creighton in various roles, including 17 as an assistant coaches for Dana Altman and Greg McDermott, and then six more at Drake before the West Virginia job came open.
That's two jobs in 23 years, which makes it clear he's not a serial job shopper.
"One of the most interesting things our fans will discover about him is he's only been at two places," Baker said. "In my spreadsheets are all these columns for the schools they've been to and all the rest of them were full except for his. I think that says a lot about his values and his loyalties to the places he's been."
Baker was sold on DeVries during their face-to-face meetings because of DeVries' genuineness and down-to-Earth persona. Baker believes that will resonate with Mountaineer fans when DeVries gets on the Mountaineer Athletic Club circuit later this spring.
Baker used an analogy to explain his reasoning.
"I'm a big ribeye eater and you go to some restaurants, and they bring it with sizzling butter on the steak and it's about the presentation and the sales. But a really good steak place doesn't need all that," he said. "They just bring you the steak, so coach DeVries has a way of cutting to the chase and not putting a lot of lipstick and makeup on it and just having a lot of substance to the answers to his plan."
Baker has said several times during other coaching searches that he doesn't just want winning teams at West Virginia University; he wants a winning culture. That requires coaches who are willing to develop student-athletes and taking a long-term approach to success.
It's clear from examining the teams in this year's Final Four that experience was helpful in them getting there, in addition to talent, of course.
"We spent a lot of time talking to candidates and in this environment, how do you build and maintain a championship culture? How do you get people who are committed to their teammates, committed to the institution and committed to winning when those NIL opportunities are also a part of it?" Baker pointed out.
"There is a way to do it. There is probably more art than science doing it, but coach DeVries has done a very good job at retaining student-athletes there at Drake, and we feel really good that he can build a program here where we can recruit some of the best players in the country and we retain them," he said.
Baker has a simple message to Mountaineers Nation – be patient and be supportive.
"When you rebuild every program, it takes time, and it's a different amount of time," he pointed out. "Our women had a great year this year, but they had a lot of things that fell together that allowed that, so we hope we can have a similar season next year.
"But I think we have a really good young coach with a great plan with great experience. And we have a program with tremendous tradition so get your tickets, join the Country Roads Trust and do everything you can to support this program because I'm confident we have great days ahead, and I can't wait to get started with him," Baker concluded.
Baker sat down with Tony Caridi late last week to discuss his decision to make the Aplington, Iowa, native West Virginia's 23rd coach.
Baker listed three key elements that he was looking for in a new coach, beginning with a defensive approach. West Virginia's last-place finish in the Big 12 this year, in part, was a result of its inability to stop other teams.
The Mountaineers gave up 90 or more points in six of their final 10 games.
"I think in the Big 12, you've got to have a team that plays defense, rebounds and values the basketball," Baker explained. "So, you are looking for a well-rounded candidate. There are candidates out there whose teams get a high volume of shots, or they shoot a high percentage, but are not as good defensively. To have a team that competes at the top of this conference, we needed somebody who was really balanced."
Baker also wanted someone who was willing to learn and understand the values of West Virginians and embrace them. He also wanted a coach with a plan for the current climate that includes the transfer portal and Name, Image and Likeness.
"We wanted somebody who had a plan for how they were going to recruit and retain in the day of NIL and the portal, while still recruiting high school talent in the Northeast," he said. "That's still an important component to having success here, so when we put all those together, coach DeVries answered those and more, and we're really excited to have him."
At the outset, Baker indicated the search process could go quickly, and it ultimately did. He managed to get his guy while others are still searching.
"We had a lot of time over the course of the last few weeks to do our homework and to get ready," he admitted. "I knew all the statistics, but what you don't know is how people's season schedules are going to line up? I was ready to close it in a week, but you are dictated a little bit by the NCAA Tournament schedule.
"We were able to get in front of our finalists and do that all before that first weekend was over, and that allowed us to quickly move after the first weekend of the tournament. It went about as close to script as any search I've had, and we're really pleased with where it ended up."
What West Virginia is getting in DeVries is a proven winner loyal to the places he's worked. He spent 20 years at Creighton in various roles, including 17 as an assistant coaches for Dana Altman and Greg McDermott, and then six more at Drake before the West Virginia job came open.
That's two jobs in 23 years, which makes it clear he's not a serial job shopper.
"One of the most interesting things our fans will discover about him is he's only been at two places," Baker said. "In my spreadsheets are all these columns for the schools they've been to and all the rest of them were full except for his. I think that says a lot about his values and his loyalties to the places he's been."
Baker was sold on DeVries during their face-to-face meetings because of DeVries' genuineness and down-to-Earth persona. Baker believes that will resonate with Mountaineer fans when DeVries gets on the Mountaineer Athletic Club circuit later this spring.
Baker used an analogy to explain his reasoning.
"I'm a big ribeye eater and you go to some restaurants, and they bring it with sizzling butter on the steak and it's about the presentation and the sales. But a really good steak place doesn't need all that," he said. "They just bring you the steak, so coach DeVries has a way of cutting to the chase and not putting a lot of lipstick and makeup on it and just having a lot of substance to the answers to his plan."
Baker has said several times during other coaching searches that he doesn't just want winning teams at West Virginia University; he wants a winning culture. That requires coaches who are willing to develop student-athletes and taking a long-term approach to success.
It's clear from examining the teams in this year's Final Four that experience was helpful in them getting there, in addition to talent, of course.
"We spent a lot of time talking to candidates and in this environment, how do you build and maintain a championship culture? How do you get people who are committed to their teammates, committed to the institution and committed to winning when those NIL opportunities are also a part of it?" Baker pointed out.
"There is a way to do it. There is probably more art than science doing it, but coach DeVries has done a very good job at retaining student-athletes there at Drake, and we feel really good that he can build a program here where we can recruit some of the best players in the country and we retain them," he said.
Baker has a simple message to Mountaineers Nation – be patient and be supportive.
"When you rebuild every program, it takes time, and it's a different amount of time," he pointed out. "Our women had a great year this year, but they had a lot of things that fell together that allowed that, so we hope we can have a similar season next year.
"But I think we have a really good young coach with a great plan with great experience. And we have a program with tremendous tradition so get your tickets, join the Country Roads Trust and do everything you can to support this program because I'm confident we have great days ahead, and I can't wait to get started with him," Baker concluded.
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