Special Right In Front Of Our Eyes
February 27, 2026 | Men's Basketball, Joel Coleman
On the court and off, Josh Hubbard has solidified himself as one of the very best to ever wear Maroon and White.
STARKVILLE – Sometimes in life, you don't realize until later on how special something or someone was.
We have good reasons for that. Distractions are many. We easily take things for granted. Hype often attempts to elevate the common to an undeserved or unearned status.
However, in the moments when the extraordinary is right in front of our eyes, we'd be wise to recognize it and soak it in. It'd be in our best interests to appreciate it in the moment, for who knows when or if we'll get to see it again?
That brings us to Josh Hubbard.
For the last three seasons, Hubbard's talent and personality have made him the face of Mississippi State athletics. He's brought thousands to their feet inside Humphrey Coliseum. He's put smiles on the faces of kids in small gymnasiums where there was no audience to give him praise – only Hubbard's never-ending desire to better the lives of others and use his platform the right way.
Make no mistake about it. Josh Hubbard is absolutely special. So, as he gets set to receive his latest honor – the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup – on Saturday morning at The Hump, let's take a minute to soak in how lucky MSU, its basketball program and its fans are to get to call Hubbard one of our own.
"It's year three, and Josh still has that, 'Wow' factor with us," State head coach Chris Jans said. "There will be times in practice where he'll have a, 'Wow' play or a, 'Wow' run. People ask about him all the time. The great thing about Josh is I never get tired of talking about him because he's a better person than he is a player.
"I know that it can sound like a cliché and a lot of people throw that around, but I can promise you that in getting to know him since I've arrived in the recruiting process and now going into the third year of the player/coach relationship, he's a special kind of human being."
It's actually wild to think about. For all the 3s Hubbard has sunk and all the moments he's created on the hardwood, it's such a small piece of the impact he's had. But without question, all the accolades and swishes and wins and NCAA Tournament appearances help tell the story of Hubbard's uniqueness and laid the foundation for all the other meaningful things he's been able to do.
Hubbard's numbers are remarkable. He's drilled 298 triples and counting in his career. That's already more than any other Bulldog. Just a week and a half ago, Hubbard broke the school record for 3-pointers in a single game with 10 on the way to scoring more points in a conference game than any State player ever has, totaling 46 in a victory over Auburn.
Hubbard is already a two-time All-SEC selection with a third conference honor almost a certainty. His 1,846 career points entering Saturday put him in fifth place in school history.
Number after number tells of Hubbard's greatness when the lights are on, but he's just as vital in the locker room and at practice.
"When I first got here, Hubb pulled me to the corner and told me, 'You will mess up sometimes, but you'll learn,'" freshman Jamarion Davis-Fleming said. "He pulled me aside when I was down on myself and told me, 'Keep going. You've got a lot of time to grow.' That's just Hubb. He's a great person, a great teammate and a great leader. That's our anchor."
Said transfer Sergej Macura: "Hubb was the first guy to follow me on social media after I committed. Since the first practice, he was always there as a helping hand. He would explain stuff to me, tell me where to go and what to do. It was pure help from the get-go from a genuine person."
Macura's descriptor is perhaps what makes Hubbard so special. He's genuine. Nothing he does is forced. It's who he is. It's how he was raised.
Rewind back several years ago to when Hubbard was in his early teens, just a freshman in high school. He was out to eat with his basketball squad and was determined to pay for his teammates' meal. Hubbard messaged his father for help, and Hubbard's dad made it a reality.
The whole scene was a glimpse into Hubbard's heart. Now, Hubbard's basketball talent has provided him with the means to bless others without having to borrow the funds.
Hubbard has awarded approximately $40,000 in scholarship money over the last two Aprils as part of his basketball camp – The Josh Hubbard Showcase – which has hosted around 200 aspiring athletes in his hometown of Madison, Mississippi.
Last December, Hubbard handed out close to 100 gifts he purchased to kids at Children's of Mississippi Hospital in Jackson, which is the same medical facility Hubbard himself once needed as a nine-year-old. Hubbard spent 19 days in the hospital as he was diagnosed and treated for Kawasaki disease – a condition that causes inflammation in the walls of blood vessels in the body. More than a decade later, Hubbard was ensuring those facing their own challenges still had a merry Christmas.
Examples are everywhere of Hubbard's commitment to community. He's partnered with Make-A-Wish Mississippi on a "Buckets for Wishes" campaign. Every 3-pointer Hubbard makes results in donations from sponsors and donors to fund wishes for kids in Mississippi. Hubbard has further backed the mission by appearing for events and welcoming children to games during the season.
He's provided food and donations to Ballas Family Community Kitchen in Greenwood, Mississippi. He's worked alongside Mississippi Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hoseman on a public awareness effort and campaign to reduce rates of chronic absenteeism among school children.
For Hubbard, it's apparent that for as much as basketball means to him, life is so much bigger.
"Growing up, I was always taught to give back in some way or some fashion," Hubbard said. "My parents instilled that in all my brothers and sisters and so watching them give back as I was growing up, it was a no-brainer for me to just give back as I grew up in my life."
Hubbard has provided so much for so many. He's given Mississippi State fans memories that'll last a lifetime. He's given teammates support that's pushed them forward. He's given kids opportunities and blessings they might not otherwise have had, and he's simply made many folks' lives better with just his presence and care.
It's really hard to sum up all that Josh Hubbard is, so for now, we'll just leave it at the word we threw around to start: special.
Mississippi State, the state of Mississippi and this world is a little better because Hubbard is in it.
"He'll be one that I'll be talking about [for as long as I coach]," Jans said. "He'll be on a pretty high pedestal."
