Loyal Shockers

(St. Louis, MO) – “Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man?” (Proverbs 20:6)

How close did we come to a stripped down version of Wichita State’s basketball team? We may never know, but Head Coach Gregg Marshall and all-American guards Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker are still the headliners of the Shocker program after a summer of consternation in Wichita.

The annual ‘who is taking a run at Marshall?’ summer was dominated by rumors of  Alabama pressing dollar signs at the coach with the best winning percentage over the past five years. Meanwhile VanVleet and Baker were considering the National Basketball Association draft.

There were some anxious moments for Shocker Nation and Athletic Director Eric Sexton.

Their fates seemed intertwined and the idea of WSU hoops without Baker, VanVleet was bad enough, but the thought of losing the man that has turned Wichita State into a national power was almost unbearable. Every year Marshall, the owner of 398 career wins, is pursued by ‘money conference’ teams.

Missouri, Tennessee and others pursed Marshall in 2014 and Alabama was widely reported to have offered the three-time Valley coach of the year more than $3 million this year.

Baker, VanVleet and Marshall did compare notes and kept each other informed. They were not playing a ‘Three Musketeers’ game where ‘all for one and one for all’ would decide their collective fate, but the choices each made did impact the decisions of the others.

Baker says his family had the biggest role in his decision to return, but what Marshall and VanVleet elected to do, was a significant factor.

In a profession where coaches seem to change their locale with ease, Marshall has shown amazing restraint and incredible loyalty to Wichita State. Marshall has built a program which is the envy of all other ‘mid-major’ programs nationally. His 204 wins in eight seasons is impressive enough, but the Shockers have won more than 30 games in each of the last three seasons.

In the last decade the Valley has seen such notable departures as Mark Turgeon, Bruce Weber, Matt Painter, Cuonzo Martin and Dana Altman. All are running successful programs for ‘money conference’ teams, but Marshall, so far has been able to stay with the Shockers.

WSU supporters have made it easier for Marshall to stay by continuing to write the checks to keep his salary competitive. He told me two interesting things about this process. First, he never even visited Tuscaloosa. Second, Shocker supporters have been very generous where he’s concerned.

 

VanVleet and Baker will be gone after this season, and VanVleet is starting the season with a achy hamstring, but these three have the rare opportunity to win over 120 games together, play in four NCAA tournaments and continue to create historical legacies in central Kansas.

Oh for more loyal men.

Do Good