Bob Huggins says he never retired, threatening to sue if West Virginia doesn't reinstate him

Former West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins, who left the university in disgrace last month after a pair of public controversies, is now stating that he never resigned from his job as head coach. He is demanding reinstatement or threatening to sue, according to a letter his lawyers sent to the university.

West Virginia Metro News columnist Hoppy Kercheval first reported the news and shared a portion from the letter from Huggins’ attorneys.

The school has since said Huggins did resign in June and will not be reinstating him, calling the statements laid out in the letter “completely factually inaccurate” and setting the table for a potential legal spat.

“Coach Huggins never signed a resignation letter and never communicated a resignation to anyone at WVU. Accordingly, the WVU public comments are not only false, but appear to be an after-the-fact attempt to remedy WVU’s breach of the Employment,” the letter reads, in part.

Huggins was ousted from his role as head coach in late June after he was arrested in the Pittsburgh area for drinking and driving. Huggins reportedly blew a .210 on a breathalyzer test and stated to the officers who pulled him over that he thought he was in Ohio.

Six weeks prior to that, Huggins had appeared on a Cincinnati radio station and, while discussing Xavier’s basketball program, Huggins used an anti-gay slur while also denigrating the fact that Xavier is a Catholic university.

That initial comment on radio earned him a pay reduction and mandated sensitivity training; some were surprised to see him keep his job after the first incident.

West Virginia responded forcefully to Huggins letter. They stated that Huggins resigned on June 17, 2023, and then went and informed his players and staffers he would no longer be coach.

They cited a letter from Huggins’ wife, June, that was sent as his formal resignation.

“Please accept this correspondence as my formal notice of resignation as WVU Head Basketball Coach and as notice of my retirement from West Virginia University, effective immediately” it said, according to Kercheval.

“The University will not accept Mr. Huggins’ revocation of his resignation, nor will it reinstate him as head coach of the men’s basketball program,” the university said, according to Kercheval.

The announcement from school president Gordon Gee and athletic director Wren Baker that Huggins would be walking away from West Virginia after his DUI didn’t read like two bosses scolding a now former employee.

“Coach Huggins informed us of his intent to retire and has submitted his letter of resignation, and we have accepted it in light of recent events. We support his decision so that he can focus on his health and family,” the statement said. “On behalf of West Virginia University, we share our appreciation for his service to our university, our community and our state. During his time as a student-athlete, assistant coach and head coach, coach Huggins devoted himself to his players, to our student body, to our fans and alumni and to all West Virginians. His contributions will always be a part of our history.”

But now Huggins is apparently contesting that he informed him of that intent and submitted a resignation letter.

His lawyers also noted, in an effort to get himself in a better spot to coach, Huggins has voluntarily entered rehab.

“Coach Huggins will be released from the program soon and we will provide you with a full release for Coach Huggins to return to his active duties as Head Basketball Coach at WVU,” his lawyers said, according to Kercheval.