On Tuesday he was a man who left for a higher profile job and then lost it in less than six months.
Now head coach of the Clovis East Timberwolves, Wiggins says there's no place he'd rather be. Clovis East welcomed back Adrian Wiggins on campus Tuesday.
When asked why he wanted to return to the Central Valley he responded by saying. "I hate to sound cynical but why not. It's great." said Wiggins.
Wiggins is credited with taking the Fresno State Women's basketball team to unprecedented heights. He led his team to multiple NCAA tournament appearances and multiple conference championships.
Nine of his former players are now playing basketball professionally. But despite those collegiate accomplishments, Wiggins says high school is where is heart truly lies.
"I just really want a chance to go and help other people help a program. Like, it's one thing it's really nice to have this big label and be at a big school and all that stuff. But it kind of be self-serving at times, and you know I went to school to be a teacher. And that's what I want to do."
Back in September Tim Amundsen left Clovis East to take the Central job. Since then the Timberwolves have been a team in transition with a 3-10 record. Many of the Clovis East players admitted to us they knew little or nothing about their new head coach.
"No actually, I mean I heard that he coached at Fresno State and all that. But I didn't really like know him as a person yet." said one player.
Adrian Wiggins returns to the Valley after taking the Ole Miss job last year. He became the scapegoat after school officials found out his assistants violated academic and recruiting rules. And Wiggins was fired without ever coaching a single game there. Still, he has nothing but good things to say about his former employer.
"I can say I've been there. It didn't work out really well for me, but coming from Fresno and the last five years so many friends went through hardships. Lost their homes. Lost their jobs. I just didn't feel it was appropriate to sit around and pout. It wasn't a good day for me at that time to go through that but I'll have better days. Today is a better day and I'm excited where I'm at now." said Wiggins.
Wiggins says he plans on staying at Clovis East for a while, but didn't rule out a return to college or professional coaching. He'll assume full head coaching duties for the Timberwolves July 1st. In the meantime he'll teach Social Science for online classes.
