Juwan Staten

Classroom

Staten has excelled in the classroom, graduating in four years with a bachelor’s degree in public relations. He currently is pursuing a master’s degree at West Virginia University in sport management. In 2013-14, Staten was an Academic All-Big 12 Men’s Basketball Second-Team selection. He has also made numerous appearances on the Garrett Ford Academic Honor Roll and Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Character

Staten has never been an “I” guy and always has had the team’s best interest in mind. One of the main reasons Staten came back to school for his senior year is to fulfill a lifelong dream of getting his team to the NCAA Tournament. Staten has never been about numbers or personal gratification, which has made him an outstanding leader as a point guard and two-time team captain. Staten has worked tirelessly on and off the court to become one of the top players in the country. As Coach Huggins notes, “Staten certainly sets an example with his work ethic.” Staten’s Twitter feed features regular reminders that he’s been running in the woods or working out in the gym. His peers can see that he’s out there doing his part. Said Coach Huggins, “He lives in the gym. He doesn’t just go in the gym and shoot balls. He’s in there working at it. That, I think, has permeated to a degree throughout our team.” Staten has been outspoken when he needed to be and helped steer his teammates to successful decisions. When controversy arose, Staten was always one of the first players to step up and say what needed to be said, no matter what. He has worked hard to encourage his teammates and keep them focused on the team goal of getting back to the NCAA Tournament.

Community

Staten has been a role model for youth in the Morgantown community and the state of West Virginia. Never one to shy away from giving an autograph, Staten is often seen posing for pictures and signing autographs for fans, even hours after a game ends. Staten has been extremely active in the community during his time at WVU. He has talked to students about the importance of staying away from drugs and alcohol, as well as the importance of an education and about being a responsible person. Staten is a frequent visitor to WVU Children’s Hospital and visits patients at Health South Rehabilitation Center. Staten also frequents local elementary schools, reading to young children. He has participated in the Relay for Life walks as well as the Alzheimer’s Honk for Awareness. Staten also helped organize and plan the fundraising drive for the Early Learning Facility.

Competition

Entering this season, Staten was named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year and was one of two named as a unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 Preseason First Team. In 2013-14, he was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and All-Defensive Team. Staten was a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the nation’s top point guard. Staten was at or near the top in just about every Big 12 statistical category last season: scoring (1st), field goal percentage (3rd), assists (2nd), assist-to-turnover ratio (2nd), steals (8th) and minutes played (1st). Staten became the first player in school history to score 500 points (598), grab 150 rebounds (186) and dish out 150 assists (193) in a single season. His 598 points scored were the 17th-most all-time in a season by a WVU player, and his 193 assists were the second-most assists by a WVU player in a season. Staten also led the Big 12 in scoring in conference games with 19.9 points per game. He scored in double figures in 31 games, the fourth-best total in school history. Last year, he was also named to the USBWA All-District 2 Team and the Basketball Times All-District Team. Last year, he had 14 points or more in 24 of his last 25 games, including 20 points or more in nine of his last 19 games. He had five assists or more in 23 of 33 outings, with one turnover or less on 16 occasions.