Recently, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the basketball community mourned the loss of legendary basketball player Jerry West. West was not only an incredible player but was most well known for being the logo of the NBA. However, many fans do not know that West played basketball for the Mountaineers. With the Mountaineer basketball team having a solid season led by NBA prospect Javon Small, it is only appropriate to talk about a few former Mountaineers who you can see taking part in the NBA action this season.
While the list is short, the legacies and impacts these players have left on West Virginia are hard to overlook.
The first player has not reached immense levels of success and fame within the NBA but has proven himself to be a solid role player off of the bench for any team. This individual is none other than Jevon Carter. The former West Virginia Guard was selected in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. Jevon Carter has been on a plethora of teams, such as the Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Chicago Bulls. Carter has seemingly found himself a long-term home with the Chicago Bulls, as he has spent the last two seasons with the team. Carter currently averages 3.6 points per game on 40.2 percent shooting from the field.
During his tenure at West Virginia, Jevon Carter was a highly accomplished player as he was WVU’s 51st 1,000-point scorer and now ranks 37th all-time with 1,118 career points. In his Junior season, Carter led the team in scoring with 13.5 points per game, shooting 43.9 percent from the field, 38.9 percent from 3, and 77.4 percent from the free throw line. However, he was not a one-trick pony in the scoring category, Carter had a career total of 313 assists and 218 steals. He was named to the All-Big 12 Defensive Team three years in a row and was named the Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year in his final season with the Mountaineers. Under his leadership, Jevon Carter would lead the Mountaineers on a legendary run in the 2017 NCAA March Madness Tournament, making it all the way to the Sweet Sixteen.
Carter was a generational impact player that many Mountaineer fans had the privilege of being able to watch, and still talk about today. Despite receiving very few minutes in the league, he is a player to look out for when getting enthralled in the NBA action.
This next player has not been in the league long, in fact, has only been playing in the NBA for just three seasons, but nonetheless has been an incredible bench player, adding great depth to the New York Knicks roster. Miles “Deuce” McBride was selected in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. This season, McBride averages 9.0 points per game, 2.3 rebounds per game, and 2.6 assists per game. In his two seasons with the Mountaineers, McBride played in all 31 games, starting in two. McBride averaged 9.5 points per game and 22.2 minutes per game, and he totaled 56 assists and 35 steals during his career. McBride left the game yesterday against the Atlanta Hawks and was diagnosed with a rib contusion. It is unsure when McBride will play next but one thing is certain, his absence from the hardwood will have a noticeable impact on the Knicks rotation.
As both players transitioned into the NBA, they never lost sight of the Mountaineer way. Playing with determination and grit, these players have established themselves into NBA lineups, utilizing the skills and lessons they learned from playing in West Virginia.
