The Parental Perspective: How Josh Hubbard Became a Top Scorer in the Nation

Josh Hubbard is one of the most prolific players the state of Mississippi has ever produced. According to his mother, Betty, The Lord put Josh on earth to play basketball. The all-time state high school basketball points leader (4,367 points) and current Mississippi State Bulldog leading scorer has “prepared for this moment since he was a child.”

As always, Hubbard is stepping up to the plate. After earning a spot on the SEC’s all-freshman team last season with an impressive 17 points per game, Hubbard is hitting career-highs all across the board, bumping his average to 19 points per game. The young guard has turned the ball over only three (!) times all season while leading the Bulldogs to a 9-1 record and a top-25 ranking. Despite being only 5’10, Hubbard is as explosive as anyone in the country–to be that small and to dominate in the best basketball conference in the nation is special. 

I recently sat down with Josh's parents, Jason and Betty, to discover what makes their son so special.

Jason: “His willingness to learn. I ​​think that at this level, it’s about absorbing what's before you, and he's worked at it. If you want something, you got to work for it. Now, I knew early on, like in the seventh grade, he was going to be different because he would work harder than anybody, stay in the gym longer, put up more shots–all that accounted for today, and that’s why he’s here.”

Betty: His discipline was really good as a whole in everything. It carried from on the court to off the court. He followed directions really well and made it easy to parent. He does what he says he is going to do. His drive for basketball was inside; we didn’t have to lead him. It was what he wanted to do. It’s what he asked to do. He would ask to go to the gym.”

While Betty and Jason are proud of Josh’s development, Mississippi State head coach Chris Jans has also been impressed with his progress:

“It’s been really, really cool. I don’t need to urge him [to lead]; he’s just a natural at it. He works so hard that he’s the perfect candidate to be a leader.”Jans said, “He worked his tail off this summer. He’s more explosive, in better shape than he’s ever been.”

Jason: “We had committed to Ole Miss, then Kermit Davis (the Rebels’ head coach) got fired. (Josh) decommitted and opened it back up. Coach Jans came to the house, great conversation. It was a God move, really. God kind of re-orchestrated everything… We’re a praying family. God don’t make mistakes. It was divine.”

Although Josh had an excellent freshman season, he’s improved his game. According to his mother, Betty, Josh is first a child of God and second a basketball player. For her, basketball is just Josh’s “hobby.”

Betty: “I do see a different person as far as a leader. But one of the things that my husband did was in junior high, he told him you need to play like you're in high school, and when you get to high school, you need to work like you’re in college so when you get to college you’ll be at home. You’ll be ready. You’ll fill the part. He’s prepared for this moment since he was a child. He feels this is his calling; this is what he’s put on earth to do. God has blessed him with all the gifts and talents that come along with it, and he took those gifts and talents and cultivated them by working hard and getting his body and mind prepared. It’s like a match made in heaven, literally.”

Jason credits Josh’s sophomore leap to his son’s number change.

Jason: The first thing that changed is his number. He changed his number from 13 to 12. He went back to his old high school number, loved the number 12, and always played with the number 12.” 

Hubbard notes that Ja Morant did not influence the decision to switch to 12. Jason and Betty claim their son made the number 12 cool before Morant did. 

Jason: “He accepted the fact that Coach Jans gave him the green light to run the team and be vocal. His character, his leadership, everything has changed. He’s turning from a scorer into a leader.”

Cameron Matthews, Mississippi State fifth-year forward, on Josh’s leadership development:

“Definitely, for sure. Just saw him last year as a young buck, kind of shy, and quiet. He’s definitely had more voice this year.”

Betty, a self-described praying woman, calls Josh’s success a gift from the Lord.

Betty: It (Josh’s faith) has everything to do with his success. (Mississippi State) is where God wanted him to be and it has all worked out just like it was supposed to work out. You live, and you pray, and you do what you think is best, and you make good choices, and if God throws a roadblock in the way, you take heed to it, and that’s really what happened, and because of that, he ended up right where he was supposed to be.”

Despite all of the praise from the voices around him, Josh remains humble in the face of praise. “I had a lot of tremendous guys help me last year just watching them be leaders for this team. I’m still learning to have a voice. I’m not the best at it now, so I’m just trying to be a leader for my team when they need me.”

Reach Light on Sports contributor Sam Shoemaker on X @s_shoemaker52 or email sjshmker@memphis.edu

Photo Credit: Mississippi State Athletics | WLBT | WAPT 16