Introduction to the Unlikely Heroes
Mylik Wilson isn’t a star at the University of Houston and never will be. He’s a valuable reserve, but his minutes aren’t guaranteed game to game. Not in Kelvin Sampson’s relentlessly demanding nationally elite program with more depth than a Titanic dive. Nothing is given to Wilson, he must earn everything. Every day.
The Decision to Stay
For Mylik Wilson stayed. Even when everyone outside Houston told him to go. UH associate head coach Quannas White thinks college basketball should be promoting players like Wilson. “What I hope — especially in this landscape of college basketball and guys transferring all across the country — is that they look at a guy like Mylik who could have gone to a mid-major school and probably been the best player, but what was more important to him was his teammates,” White tells PaperCity.
The Importance of Teammates
Wilson could have transferred to a mid-major after last season and a productive NCAA Tournament run. Many thought he should have transferred. He could have been a sure starter at such a program. But Wilson told PaperCity he planned to return to UH for another season on the night the Cougars were heartbreaking eliminated by Duke in the Sweet 16 after Jamal Shead went down. And he never wavered from that vow. Another player who chose to stay is senior wing Ramon Walker Jr. “It’s family,” Walker says when asked what drove him to stay. “Everybody in this program and staff, everybody that works with the basketball team it’s all family. Being here as long as I have, it’s just building those bonds and connections with our coaches, our players, it feels like family. You always stick with your family.”
The Bigger Picture
Mylik Wilson and Ramon Walker didn’t come back to lose. They came back to be part of something special, for the chance to be on a team that can do something truly historic for UH basketball. Three close loses — two to Top 10 teams, two in overtime — is not changing that mission. “I feel like we just have unfinished business,” Wilson tells PaperCity. “Like last year with Jamal going down. . . I feel like we still could have won the game. Like I said, we still have unfinished business and we’re just trying to get to Monday night. And I feel like we have the team to do it.
The Bench Mentors
This sense of a greater purpose, of putting the team over the I, has Wilson and Walker working to help speed up true freshman guard Mercy Miller’s adjustment to the college game. That may end up costing them playing time. But it will make Houston better. And that’s what matters more to both Wilson and Walker. “Just trying to help out the freshmen,” Walker says. “Mercy can do a lot for us. . . (Reserve center) Ced (Lath) is still figuring some things out. Even JoJo (Tugler). JoJo is still figuring some things out. Just trying to be a voice that they can listen to and that they can benefit from. I feel like that will help them in the long run.”
Personal Growth
Wilson’s been the primary backup point guard for much of this early season. He’s improved his 3-point shooting to the point where he’s hit five of his seven attempts from distance in the first seven games. Wilson is never going to be a volume 3-point shooter on this Houston team. Defense is still his No. 1 thing. Few 6-foot-3 guards have Wilson’s hops and shot blocking ability. And his long arms can create turnovers. But he can now hurt opponents who leave him open on the perimeter too. “I just try to get up a lot of reps, just try to shoot extra every day,” Wilson says of his shot transformation. “You can see the difference in the shot just by putting the work in.”
Conclusion
If you think this UH program is in trouble because it’s lost a few games earlier than usual and is no longer in the Top 10, you may not be looking at the right thing. The Guys Who Stayed show something else. Wilson and Walker are both still at Houston, both still fighting for every minute of court time while putting a greater goal first. “I think we are in the process of finding that identity,” Walker says. “But we’re not far off. As a whole, we could all play better. Just carrying the things that we work on in practice over to the games, I feel like that will take care of everything.”
