West Virginia basketball announces their final verdict on reinstating Bob Huggins, as the former coach hires a grand legal team to fight his battle

West Virginia v Maryland
Bob Huggins - West Virginia v Maryland

West Virginia University (WVU) is fighting back against former basketball coach Bob Huggins' claims that he did not resign and that the school falsified his resignation letter. Huggins has reportedly hired three lawyers to fight his case.

In a letter sent by one of his attorneys on Monday, Huggins claims that he did not send a resignation letter and that the university was in breach of the employment contract.

"I did not draft or review WVU's statement," Huggins wrote. "This false statement was sent under my name, but no signature is included. ... I am employed by WVU pursuant to an Employment Agreement. I never submitted the notice required under the Employment Agreement to voluntarily resign."

Vice President and general counsel of WVU, Stephanie Taylor, released a tersely worded statement in response to Huggins' claims via his lawyers:

"Moreover, if Mr. Huggins or his counsel attempts to publicly suggest that he somehow did not resign and retire from his position, please be advised that the University will swiftly and aggressively defend itself from these spurious allegations."

Taylor reconstructed Bob Huggins' last days at WVU, stating that the resignation letter was sent via his wife, June Huggins' email address. The VP claims that Huggins spoke to his staff and players, informing them of his intention to retire:

"We accepted his resignation in the form requested by counsel to Mr. Huggins. There is no support in the law of on these facts to suggest that Mr. Huggins may now ignore his resignation and his actions upon which all have relied, undo his voluntary separation, and return to work as if none of this ever occurred."

It seems the university will not allow Bob Huggins back, whichever turn this saga takes.


A timeline of the Bob Huggins saga

West Virginia v Iowa State
West Virginia v Iowa State

Bob Huggins was arrested for a DUI in Pittsburgh on June 16, and the very next day, WVU released a statement purportedly from Huggins stating that he had resigned with immediate effect.

On June 24, athletics director Wren Baker announced assistant coach Josh Eilert as Bob Huggins' replacement. There was a period of relative calm as the new coach convinced recent transfer Kerr Kriisa to withdraw his name from the transfer portal and stay with the Mountaineers.

On July 6, Huggins' lawyer, David Campbell, sent a letter to WVU demanding to be reinstated as basketball coach since he had never resigned.

He again doubled down and sent a separate letter claiming that WVU had falsified his resignation letter. He further stated that he had enrolled in a world-class rehabilitation facility and would return to take over the basketball reins at WVU.

It wasn't the first time Huggins had clashed with the university's authorities this year. He got into trouble in May after using anti-Catholic and homophobic slurs against Xavier during a live radio broadcast.

To many's dismay, coach Bob Huggins only got a three-game suspension and a $1 million salary reduction. The tension was already palpable because his contract was in jeopardy, and he was rumored only to cover the next season.

It would only take a month for the house of cards to come down, and the messy divorce plays out in front of a public gallery.

What could Alabama basketball's 2024-25 starting lineup look like? Find out here

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