Who is Billy Hahn? Right now, he’s an assistant coach to Bob Huggins at West Virginia. He used to be an assistant to Gary Williams at Maryland. And he’s the guy who recruited the core of the 2002 Terps National title team (chiefly, Juan Dixon and Lonny Baxter, both of whom were ranked outside of the Top 100 by Rivals).

According to an astute college basketball observer:

In the 90’s and very early 00’s (pre-2002) Gary wasn’t surrounded by the “yes” men he has on staff now. Gary’s a tough guy to like at times, as he can be abrasive to his staff both behind closed doors and on the bench. Over the years, in Jimmy Patsos, Dave Dickerson, Mike Lonergan, and particularly Billy Hahn, he had guys who weren’t afraid to stand up to him or disagree with him. Billy Hahn recruited most of those guys on the title team, and Gary wouldn’t be a part of the recruiting process until the very end. Gary cannot go into a recruit’s home and sell himself. Billy Hahn could sure sell Gary Williams though.

It shouldn’t come as a major surprise, then, that WVU was able to land one of the best players in the class of 2008, Devin Ebanks (Memphis was considered the favorite), and perhaps more importantly, unrated Darryl Bryant, who is the team’s 3rd leading scorer at 10.7 ppg.

Earlier: Deathwatch: Gary Williams at Maryland
The Turtle Has Itself to Fear (Wash Post)
Board members want end to UM infighting over ex-recruits (Baltimore Sun)