Christian Laettner Talks March Madness, Dream Team Memories & More with Rich Eisen | Full Interview

2-Time NCAA Champion Christian Laettner reminisces about the glory years of Duke Basketball, gives his opinion on the current NIL situation in college sports, and delves into his fondest memories of his time with the 1992 Olympic "Dream Team".
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[@jasonescareno2446]

Christian Laettner is the ALL-TIME Scoring Leader in the NCAA TOURNAMENT. That was a great interview.

[@adamthomas8205]

All-time great

[@Redmenace96]

The Dream Team have become bigger and bigger Basketball Gods since 1992 in the media. Even in 1992, Laettner knew he was walking with giants. I remember him handling interviews really well, and as a big hoops fan, I knew he deserved to be there. Dude has real humility. Great memories.

[@tonypassaretti]

One of the greatest college players of all time. Great representative of my beloved western New York. Thanks for the memories.

[@jikan-tabi-1888]

Laettner was the clutchest ncaab player of all-time. Last-second winning shots in the 1990 and 1992 regional finals vs UConn and Kentucky. 1980s and 1990s ncaab was fantastic. No one and dones, NILs or transfer portals.

[@rhoydotp]

Laettner’s game was ahead of its time. He got in the NBA and his skills were not used to max.

[@jamescpotter]

Winning two NCAA championships and being the college representative for the 1992 Dream Team, come on! That's a career.

[@jeremypr]

I was around 10 years old and watched that champ game with Laettner hitting that shot, it was electric. i had some crappy 13 inch color tv watching it.

[@hawlikd]

Being hazed by the players of the 1992 Dream Team is a badges of honor!

[@stephenfricke9298]

Greatest CLUTCH shot in College basketball ever

[@jwt2345]

I love this guy! Met him when I was 9 yrs old at the end of his Senior year. It was an awesome moment for a Duke fan. Wish Duke was like it was back then, sadly those days are gone

[@tristramcoffin926]

I graduated in 92 and have been a Duke fan since my step dad took me to Cameron when I was 10. Christian was my favorite player and I loved it even more that everyone else hated him. Missed many games on tv because I went to a military school but listened to every one of them during night time study hall or after TAPS on headphones. However, for the championships, as long as we didn't have demerits to work off, the school opened the auditorium to see the games on this massive screen. The Michigan and UNLV wins are two of my greatest memories with everyone in there together watching and cheering the games. I was so elated when Duke won those.

[@drvannozzun]

I don’t hate Christian Laettner

[@markgriffin5889]

Why would you? Have you met him? Please explain your comment. Thanks.

[@Ajas0810]

@@markgriffin5889lol you must have not been alive in the early 90s.

[@TK-ti6dg]

@@markgriffin5889He He’s being sarcastic. There was a ESPN 30 for 30 special titled “ I hate Christian Laettner.

[@Biz613]

100%. You need time together to really become formidable.

[@shed4287]

Good to see Christian and that he's still close to college basketball and that his kids are enjoying life with him. I loved watching him play(4yrs) just not against us. I'm a long-time TARHEEL fan so this maybe blasphemous but Christian Laetner for his talent, ferocious competitiveness, and love of the game of college basketball , I'm a fan. He's also a good human being and for that the guy is cool with me. God bless you Christian.

[@Alphasports576]

Christian l loved him as a basketball player and Duke great memories

[@jeangriffith8017]

Great damn player!

[@157294]

I’m a Duke fan because of Christian Laettner; once in a lifetime, an all time great!

[@jeremiahgallagher]

Get Laettner on at LEAST when the college season starts and then we can do March as usual. Always a great interview

[@jrodlange8099]

I started watching college hoops in the early 80's. By the early 90's I was a certified Duke hater. It was beyond hate, don't think I despised a team more regardless of the sport. I was so happy in 92' when Kentucky seemingly had won. Then things got weird. After the shot, the moment transcended the hatred. I was actually thrilled realizing what I just saw was special. Sure, I continued to root against Duke afterwards. Bottom line, Mr. Laettner is clearly on the Mount Rushmore of college basketball players post early 80's. The guy really was phenomenal at the college level. Not to mention cold blooded.

[@OmahaSand]

I've never hated skill and excellence ... Can't relate.

[@Ajas0810]

NIL and the transfer portal had killed college basketball.

[@ivanmatic23]

Tbh I think it has had an bigger impact on College football, 1 and done rule ruined college basketball.

[@Ajas0810]

@@ivanmatic23 the 1 and done rule started it but still only big time players left after 1 year. Now everybody transfers it’s impossible for the average person to keep up with the players.

[@davidgivins4203]

Wrong as it enhanced basketball as a coach can get a shooter like purdue with their center! It goes with March madness 😂😅😊❤

[@broaddusmarines]

lol the ratings for March Madness kinda disagree with you there. 😅😅😅😅

[@cristix11]

that final shot against kentucky will never be forgotten. i felt i could do it too after seeing it live even though i was upset about it. laettner doesn't get the respect he deserves.

[@user-yi6sk1cv4x]

Great player. What a great time in college basketball

[@gk5908]

I had an ice hockey game at the Spectrum the next day and there was memorabilia and programs left from the Duke / Kentucky game from the night before. Damn I wish I had scooped up that stuff as an unaware 12 year old.

[@guitarsrcool4922]

Ah yes. The Fab 5 years. Let's see. Chris Webber, Juwon Howard, Jimmy King, Jalen Rose and Ray Jackson. The first time all freshman started in the NCAA Tournament. Amazing team. Rich Eisens Michigan team.

[@dylanross7479]

Christians got a little touch of Norm to him.

[@stevel240l7]

Is it because of the eyebrows?

[@Alphasports576]

I love Christian Laettner

[@broaddusmarines]

One of the three greatest college basketball players of all time, just after Lew Alcindor (Kareem) and Bill Walton.

[@rickycole6327]

Agree with your list with one exception I would have Jabbar, Walton, Russell then Laettner

[@eazye519]

Hes the best college player ever.

[@musicman76enator]

GOAT

[@keithparks4347]

Dang! He resembles James Taylor.

[@stephenfricke9298]

But HUGE

[@PorkChopXpress4385]

My guy did a lot more than just play in the tournament

[@kylemucerino2558]

Laettner not liking NIL....shocking!🤯

[@tristramcoffin926]

On the NIL stuff, just leave it alone. It isn't about the adults not knowing what is coming. Let the market figure it out. The schools are free to negotiate, too. And, if they want to say something to a player like, "We are willing to pay you the money you want but you have to remain 4 years" or whatever that is what stabilizes this new system out. Not everyone is Christian Laettner. Many of these kids will never make the NBA and that NIL money (maybe some semipro or games in Italy, etc) is all they will make in their lives playing basketball.

[@Hokieman-ol7qh]

TIL Chad Ochocinco wrote a book called Get the Ball in my Hands. Sorry Keyshawn.

[@MissiSIMPi]

6:30. I went to the comments as soon as I heard him say that.

[@JDBluedevil]

Players should be able to earn money on their name and image, but I don't believe they should be able to create bidding wars for their services to transfer every season. Best option is to lock in a 2 year contract with the university you sign with and then after that you can transfer 1 time before graduating, and then a 2nd transfer option for 5th year players with graduate degree considerations.

[@cindyfagerstrom8825]

NIL means less $ under the direct control of the Universities. What a kick in the head for University fundraising.

[@melaniebianchi5320]

"um" for "him" ... "i was just teasin um" -- Western NY accent still up there in the paint

[@deepcosmiclove]

It's a shame that Charlotte passed on Laettner to take Alonzo who never panned out.

[@AshMorton]

Good thing they didn’t have ref replay of plays back then, or he’d have gotten a flagrant 2 for he stomp

[@stevel240l7]

What’s in the red cup….gotta be cheap liquor!!

[@thecostanzatheory]

If coach who recruited you leaves, you should be able to transfer immediately. I hate the portal, NIL, and sports n general is down on my priority list.

[@dantenewyork7380]

why guardrails? free market. should there be a cap on what Eisen is allowed to earn? silly

[@paulmenter4358]

Yea. Once a year is probably enough...

[@nicktucker3437]

cant blame the kids for getting the most they can out of NIL.

[@ndbobby1]

Does he have thought besides the fact that teams are better with senior leadership.

[@brussellchitchens]

I loved that Duke team, but he seems to be throwing fists at the sky.

[@OmahaSand]

Not really.. NCAA Tournament being more popular than the NBA .. there is a reason.

[@davidgivins4203]

​@@OmahaSandwrong bigger then all sports !😊

[@daveland3303]

The last time I liked duke

[@davidbellecy1709]

Fab five was one of the best college squads ever assembled.

[@paulmccarthy2032]

And Fab5 accomplished what? Black socks, baggy shorts ,hype and nothing else..nice try bro

[@Alphasports576]

Never won a title overrated hype jobs

[@dantenewyork7380]

damn, CL looking old. i'm clearly getting old myself

[@scottgood7888]

The transfer portal and NIL is and will continue to diminish the concept and development of TEAM.

[@r3tr0actiongamer24]

College sports is trash now

[@davidgivins4203]

Wrong xxxxx!😊❤

[@gregoryschmidt1922]

91 UNLV, mysterious loss to Duke. No way that game was on the "up and up". Year before they lose by thirty.

[@archangelmusic13]

year before coach k didnt have a week to prepare for unlv. he had 1 day. year before he didnt have grant hill, year before bobby hurley and laettner weren't even good enough to shoot three pointers like they were when they met in 91.oh and duke repeated the year after proving it was no fluke, and having the greatest coach of all time also helped.

[@lynnerose7891]

Not even close to mystery. UNLV got complacent and thought Duke hadn’t been improving.

[@SirVic42]

@@archangelmusic13 Correct. In 1990, Coach K had no plan to deal with Larry Johnson and was hoping his freshman point guard could do a Bob Cousy impersonation to deal with the amazing backcourt pressure of the Rebs. That didn't work at all. In 1991, Hurley wasn't sick for the game and Coach K had senior Greg Koubek guard LJ using position instead of strength. The game came down to a last second three point attempt by Anderson Hunt, UNLV's best shooter. He makes it, they win. It was one of the greatest college basketball games ever.

[@gregoryschmidt1922]

All you guys are correct. Duke was alot better the second time around. When I stated mysterious, alot of Rebel fans questioned how one of our three All-Americans finished with four points. Then there was the photo of three members of that team in a hot tub with Richard "the fixer" Perry. Again I will say that Duke team was amazing and deserved to win that rematch.

[@archangelmusic13]

@@gregoryschmidt1922 dont forget duke repeat the next year proving what a powerhouse they were, and won by 20

[@Scott-ph2yk]

I still hate Laetner!

[@porcupinecraig]

I lost all respect for this jerk when he stomped on the Kentucky player's chest. He should have been thrown out for that, but the refs didn't have the balls.

[@andrewgibbs7099]

Why don’t you ask him about stepping on a players chest…. Worse than any political figure! I feel vomit at the back of my throat. I will never forget!!!!! 😢

[@archangelmusic13]

he did that because the kentucky player pushed him in the back into the goal post after he made a layup, he was just getting back at him., cant let people walk all over you.

[@AshMorton]

@@archangelmusic13I see what you did there

[@Alphasports576]

I've seen way worse than out on a basketball court if that still hurts your feelings you're pretty soft human being . On a scale from 1 to 10 one being the stomp was really soft 10 being really hard it was like a five I've seen way worse than that on the court at all the horrible stuff I've seen on the court and I've been watching basketball since 1984 that's not even in the top 10 you must learn how to forgive in life and that storm wasn't even all that bad it got a technical fou people need to toughen up the guy that got stomped it didn't even leave leave any permanent damage on him he was probably sore for a day but you're still thinking aboutl

[@archangelmusic13]

@@Alphasports576 it wasnt a stomp, it was a tap. id give it a 2 at best.and id like to add the kentucky player that pushed laettner in the back into the goal post didnt get any foul called on him

[@Alphasports576]

@@archangelmusic13 I do agree