Mike Gansey prepares to dunk the ball, during a game in his time playing for the West Virginia University men's basketball team. Courtesy photo

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Mike Gansey played his way into the WVU Athletic Hall of Fame. In his two seasons with Coach John Beilein, the robust Mountaineers reached prominence in the NCAA Tournament by getting as far along the event’s trail as the Elite 8 (in 2004) and then the Sweet 16 (in 2005).

Gansey had a particular basketball intelligence and court awareness that carried him farther along in the sport than his lithe 6-foot-4 body seemed to be capable of, if he were being evaluated by scouts from the NBA.

He played only two seasons for Beilein, in Morgantown, because his earlier collegiate career had begun in Olean, N.Y. at St. Bonaventure, where he used his freshman and sophomore eligibility.

Once he transferred to WVU, Gansey fashioned a memorable career there by becoming more than the sum of his parts — more than a scorer or rebounder or tenacious defender. His innate instincts along with his hustle and grit were welded together with a team-first attitude and enthusiasm to make him as indispensable as a mid-size player can be.

As a WVU senior, he scored in double figures in 30 games. In his too-short days as a crowd-favorite Mountaineer, he started all 68 games he was available to play.

His two successful seasons showed him scoring 976 points.

After West Virginia’s 2005 season closed with a loss in the “big tournament,” Gansey then played as a member of the USA’s gold medal-winning team in the World University Games.

His post-WVU playing days saw him go overseas for three campaigns and also join an NBA G League team for two more seasons.

All that travel and varied on-court basketball experience seemed to have prepared him for an administrative position somewhere in basketball.

He joined the “front office” of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA.

For the last four seasons he has been the General Manager of the suddenly dominant Cavs — a team that has literally stormed out to a 27-4 record as the December part of the league’s schedule reaches its end.

No team in the league has a better record.

Cleveland hasn’t drawn as much positive attention since the days and seasons when LeBron James was at his nonpareil best as a young Cavaliers player in the league.

WVU has had other former players accomplish much as a front office developer of talented teams — Rod Thorn being the prime example.

To be consistently successful, it seems a person must be able to evaluate talent and personalities as well as know the business side of contract negotiations with players, coaches and other off-court administrative personnel. Constant dealings with player agents and people wanting to access you as a man with the power to hire or fire employees, makes wearing six or eight business hats a necessity.

Mike Gansey seems to be astride the basketball world, as 2025 comes quickly into view.