It’s been said before John Flowers is comfortable in  his skin. It is he who sports the headband precariously perched atop his head and it is he who leads WVU’s swaying huddle before a basketball game. He wore an Afro wig when introduced at Mountaineer Madness this year and (not coincidentally) he won the slam dunk contest. To celebrate, he jumped onto a courtside table in front of the student section and thumped his chest. Through the years, he’s been seen on campus wearing a “Cars” backpack.

It goes on and on and you realize he’s pretty popular among his teammates and cares not what others think. He’s grown that way as a player, too, and late last season settled into a nice role as a defensive ace who could rebound and get scores at the basket. Leave him open and he could make a shot, too.

Something is a little different this year and it goes back to that backpack.

Earlier this month reports trickled in that stated Flowers was wearing a new backpack. The reports were true.

“Someone broke into my car and liked my backpack so much they had to steal it,” Flowers said.

Gone were textbooks for – and this is the truth – white collar crime and criminal justice classes as well as notes Flowers took along the way. He had to get a new driver’s license and cancel credit and bank cards.

“I filed a police report,” he said. “I was ticked off. The books were in there. They got my wallet and my ID. They didn’t get any money, but they got my backpack.”

It was an astonishing act and Flowers had sympathy from those close to him. His girlfriend bought him a Spider-Man bag. Teammates expressed their concern and disbelief.

“I’ve been trying to figure this out,” freshman forward Dan Jennings said. “It’s so weird. We’re in West Virginia and there’s really no crime out here. It’s crazy someone would just steal John’s backpack. Who wants a backpack with a little racecar on it? Who stole that? A little kid?”

Maybe. Who knows? But be vigilant. If you see a suspicious type wearing a “Cars” backpack, make a mental note and then pass it along. Flowers is willing to end this ordeal.

“It’d be tough,” he said, “but I would take it back, no questions asked.”