It’s been more than six years since Teyvon Myers donned a West Virginia jersey, with the 6-foot-2 guard having wrapped up a two-year career with the Mountaineers in 2017 before embarking on his journey as a professional player.
Since then, Myers has played on each of the three Best Virginia squads in The Basketball Tournament, balancing an opportunity to compete alongside former teammates and past Mountaineers during the offseason of his career overseas.
Myers is again back to represent Best Virginia in the 2023 version of TBT, and he got a jump on playing with several teammates last Saturday in a 130-100 victory over the Maryland-based College Park Boys in an Alumni Basketball League contest at Fairmont State.
“Not everybody on that team is on the TBT team, but we’ve been together in the TBT for some years now,” Myers said. “No matter how many guys we switch out or in, we’re still going to have our core guys.
“Our bracket is really tough. We just got Erik Stevenson, which is also good. Another little brother that we can kind of mold into being a great pro just like John [Flowers], KJ [Kevin Jones] and Alex Ruoff. Mold the young guys to become good pros just like those guys did for me. That’s what it’s all about.”
Myers certainly made a mark in the ABL matchup, scoring 14 points on 6-for-9 shooting to go with a game-high eight assists and seven rebounds.
Even when Myers’ statistical impact doesn’t equal what it did in a TBT tuneup, the native of Brooklyn, N.Y. undoubtedly still makes his presence felt.
During his time at WVU, Myers often provided a spark off the bench, using his energy to lift teammates and disrupt opponents.
Myers was visibly supporting teammates and expressing emotion for much of the matchup with College Park Boys, proving that part hasn’t changed much, if any, since college.
“I wake up like that. At 5 o’clock in the morning, that’s who I am,” Myers said. “My mom always tells the story about when I was a kid and she was worried because she felt like this baby never slept and I was lifting myself up as a young boy. She always knew that I was going to be special. I was walking before 1 and running around. That’s just always been me. It’s a blessing.”
Over the last two years in TBT, and again this time around, Myers also has the luxury of playing for a former teammate in James Long. While the two were members of the Mountaineers’ 2015-16 and 2016-17 squads, Long has since taken on a coaching career path while Myers continues to play internationally.
Last season, Myers played for FC Porto Ferpinta in Portugal, and he maintains Long’s advice is often on his mind.
“James is one of my best friends. At the end of the day, a lot of times I hear James in my head even when he’s not around,” Myers said. “He’s in a whole different country and I still hear him in my head, especially at certain times. James is one of those guys who didn’t play much at West Virginia, so some basketball players will overlook his smarts for the game. I’ve never met somebody that works harder than James Long. On the court, off the court, whatever it is that he’s doing, he’s putting his heart on the line. That’s why I love him and why I’d die for him.”