Built For The Bright Lights
October 15, 2024 | Men's Basketball, Joel Coleman
Josh Hubbard’s SEC Media Day appearance the latest example of how the State star remains cool under pressure.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – There's just something different about Josh Hubbard. That much was already apparent last season when the Mississippi State guard burst onto the scene as a Bulldog true freshman and took the Southeastern Conference by storm without even the slightest of hints that he might be anxious or unprepared.
When evaluating Hubbard's remarkable rookie campaign and all the points, highlights and All-SEC honors he collected, maybe the most remarkable thing of all was this: the guy's pulse just never seemed to elevate.
He's listed as 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds. Watch him though and he carries himself – at least internally – as a guy that's 10 feet tall and invincible.
"You know, you can't judge a book by its cover," Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans said of Hubbard on Tuesday as the Bulldogs took their turn at this year's SEC Media Day event.
Put simply, it's as though Hubbard is built for the bright lights. He showed it again Tuesday as he strolled around the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Birmingham, Alabama, while his heart rate stayed steady. That's no easy task given the number of stops, wide range of questioning and national television cameras placed all around the place chronicling every word and every step.
Hubbard was calm. He was cool. He was comfortable. That much was totally evident by his interactions.
Take for instance one brief moment when Hubbard was handed a microphone alongside teammate Cameron Matthews.
"Who's the greatest SEC basketball player of all time," the questioner asked.
"Erick Dampier," Hubbard said with a smile as he gave a nod to the Mississippi State legend.
Matthews' response: "Josh Hubbard."
Matthews said it in jest, but given what Hubbard has already done and what it's entirely possible he could do, who's to say that Hubbard couldn't be a realistic answer to the same query at some point down the road?
Don't count him out that's for sure. He's got all the tangibles and intangibles.
There's the aforementioned impressive makeup that keeps Hubbard composed no matter what.
"I'm just a low-down guy," Hubbard explained. "I don't let a lot of things get to me. And on the court, it's just all fun and games. I'm just like a little kid playing basketball in the backyard."
And sometimes with his outstanding talent, as everyone saw a year ago, Hubbard looks like a big brother schooling little brother on the playground.
Hubbard had 13 games of 20 or more points last season. That total was the best nationally among freshmen. Nine of those 13 contests in which Hubbard scored 20 or more came against SEC foes. He was at his best when the competition was the toughest.
Hubbard's mettle allowed him to always be comfortable in the key moments when taking the big shot.
"He's just super calm and super cool," Matthews said of Hubbard. "He's collected. That's just his demeanor."
Perhaps Hubbard's composure can be attributed to his remarkable consistency.
"In [the last] 15 [or] 16 months, I remember him having one bad day," Jans said of Hubbard. "It was so bad that I brought him into my office the next day to make sure everything was good in his life and everything was fine, because it was so off brand for him.
"He's just so consistent with his mental approach [and] his physical approach to the expectations that we have for him every single day…Certainly for us, Josh is probably asked to do more than anybody else in our program and I know I don't have to worry about him losing his focus. He's always making the right decision on and off the court, and he was raised in such a great way that there's no worries that way when it comes to what you would think coaches worry about."
Even equipped with too many positives to count, there remains room for Hubbard to grow. That's both exciting for everyone who wears Maroon and White and terrifying for those who'll be tasked with limiting Hubbard.
Hubbard noted Tuesday that, already, the game seems slowed down for him. Despite his always-collected front, Hubbard admits there was at least a butterfly or two last year as he got his feet wet. However, his Tuesday comments seemed to indicate those have fluttered away now that he's got a full season under his belt.
In theory, that could make his point totals even higher. It could make his defense stingier.
But maybe Hubbard's biggest growth area that Jans thinks will be on display has little to do with the stats – at least Hubbard's own personal stats.
"He's taken a leadership role on this team as a sophomore," Jans said of Hubbard. "He's found his voice. I've encouraged him behind the scenes to find his voice. And people ask, How can he get better? And that was one way I thought he could get better for us and our program was to take on more of that old-school leadership role."
It's a hand-in-glove situation. Hubbard can be a natural leader because his demeanor and his performance almost automatically demand respect from those around him, especially now.
"He can [lead] because he works so hard every day," Jans said. "He didn't do it last year, and he didn't do it all summer, but for some reason since the fall began and school started, we're now in the midst of our longer practices and he wins almost every dang sprint. That wasn't the case last year. He's in better shape than he's ever been. He's more athletic than he's ever been."
As cliché as it may sound, it sure appears the best from Hubbard is absolutely still to come.
"I don't want to put any pressure on him, even though I don't think he'll shy away from any of that," Jans said.
Pressure? What pressure?
In just a few weeks, Hubbard will be back on the floor trying to lead the Bulldogs right back into the madness of March. And rest assured as he does it, he'll be as even-keeled as can be.
"It's how he is," Matthews said of Hubbard. "I admire him. The moment really never is too big for him."
