ESPN’s Jay Bilas Talks UConn vs Purdue, Zach Edey in NBA & More with Rich Eisen | Full Interview

[@davemurphy7126]

I really enjoy listening to Jay Bilas talk collage hoops he's amazing! I walk away having learned something every time.

[@kendallandrews8691]

Yep he's great

[@BlyGuy]

Bilas is my favorite NCAA basketball commentator.

[@sarahcarr5275]

Mine too. He's brilliant and pays attention to every aspect of the game.

[@ECO473]

Let's not forget, UConn's first two title runs included wins against the then blue-blood Duke in the Final Four (77-74 in 1999 Championship Game and 79-78 in 2004 National Semifinal).

[@markoo6351]

What about 2014 championship game against Kentucky

[@ECO473]

@@markoo6351 Yup. That was title #4.

[@kendallandrews8691]

Yeah that Duke game was being called the greatest team ever too

[@briankeefe476]

UConn's first power team was 1990 NCAA's when they were the #1 seed in the East Region. They lost the Regional Finals to Duke (Laettner, Hurley, Abdelnaby) in Over Time by 1 pt. Laettner hit a shot with under 2 seconds to go. Ouch. Duke went on to face UNLV in the title game. UConn sent 5 players to the pro's. The 2 teams were going to cross paths a number of times after that.

[@tomkibbe835]

2 of my favorite sports commentary people. thx guys!

[@richh650]

Jay is the man!

[@theslinger77]

The fact that you have to "pound the table" for guys Newton and Edey says a lot about the current state of the NBA.

[@BlyGuy]

Steph Castle is a transformational talent. Mark my words. He has the body, the athleticism, the competitiveness and most importantly, the serious/mature mindset it takes to be great. Castle is special and the best prospect in this draft. He's he more well rounded SGA.

[@jimmyrustled2493]

Mock drafts have Shepard from kentucky ahead of Castle and I just do not understand it. Idk if there is another American draft prospect with more upside than Castle.

[@BlyGuy]

@@jimmyrustled2493 not only Sheppard ahead of him, but Dillingham as well, unless the mock drafts have changed since Monday night. Sure I am biased, but think it is safe to say that Castle would completely lock up Sheppard or Dillingham depending on his assignment and outplay both offensively as a result. He's also much taller and longer than both those guys and PG is his natural position. Based on his natural ability and athletic gifts to go along with him already having a professional mindset about the game, I see Castle as a lock for a future perennial all star and quite possibly a transcendent star in the game. Also, superstars in the NBA have to have good names and Steph Castle is a sick name haha.

[@JetLagRecords]

The Rich Eisen Show, I really liked this video! I subscribed too!

[@Forevermade32]

I’ve missed you so much Rich 😭❤️

[@jeromedanielson4422]

"Soft" kids will not wanna be coached by Hurley, he's not kissing Prima-donna butt.

[@BassHuey]

Edey owns 2 Naismith awards & only joins this club of others who did the same: Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pete Maravich, Bill Walton, Ralph Sampson, Michael Jordan. He's only 7'4 300lb easily overpowering any current NBA center. Yea doesn't belong in the NBA some weirdos say.

[@t.yop9]

It's a different game. If this was even 20 years ago he'd be in contention to be the #1 pick. Now the NBA is pick and rolls and 3s. He doesn't defend the pick and roll and offensively he plays like a center from the 90s.

[@t.yop9]

Someone will pick him after the lottery. He just needs one team to take a shot. But don't be surprised if he's potentially just a backup 6 fouls big off the bench for most of his career.

[@areguapiri]

​@@t.yop9....Because of the stupid, annoying 3-point shot.

[@stevenkidd6761]

He needs 2-3 years to get down playing and shooting away from the rim, imo. I saw him grow so much every year. His desire to learn and be the best he can is 🔥

[@dvdly]

Only Walton, Sampson and Edey have won it more than once.

[@JuanTorres-hv5ig]

Recommend Kentucky consider Johnny Dawkins. He was a two time All-American at Duke and Naismith Player Of The Year in 1986. He also was an Assistant & Associate head basketball coach at Duke

[@LivingandThrivinginAustinTexas]

I like to hear UConn in the mix for the 3peat! Go Huskies!!

[@kendallandrews8691]

That would be incredible since newton isn't coming back

[@locoman888]

The state of Connecticut isn't exactly appalachia for lack of resources. There are a lot of wealthy donors there. Arkansas may have chicken titans but Connecticut has hedge fund titans.

[@thewalruswasjason101]

Walmart titan in Arkansas. That’s a biggie.

[@locoman888]

@@thewalruswasjason101 but do they care of Arkansas basketball...I doubt it.

[@hansgordy]

... and Nike gives them tons of money. And promotes them at their camps.

[@locoman888]

@@hansgordy Nike gives Arkansas tons of money like how much?

[@hansgordy]

Not Arkansas... read the thread. UConn got 32 million in 2022-23. That's the tip of the iceberg. Nike holds their camps to promote their schools. The big ones are Duke, UConn, Kentucky, Kansas, and Oregon. Nike was a part of the Zion incident at Duke. The ncaa looked the other way. Duke was allowed to investigate itself and they found no wrongdoing. Lol. Same with Kansas (which is also Adidas). Nike's CEO is quoted as saying that Nike does better when Duke is good. How does one school keep 8 or 9 elite recruits on their basketball team?

[@stevenkidd6761]

"Blue Blood" needs to have recency involved, UConn fits it in the modern era. Definitely since the field became 64. KY is quickly losing any claim. IU has lost theirs, imo.

[@kendallandrews8691]

Yeah nobody under 60 would consider Indiana a better program than UConn.

[@BlyGuy]

UConn is the best program today and best since UCLA. This is objective reality. Going back to back and getting 6 during an eclipse cements UConn's place atop the sport

[@kendallandrews8691]

@@BlyGuy yep best of the past 50 years no doubt. Nobody has 6 in that timeframe and there were several years under Calhoun they could have won it all with one play different such as 91 and 2006

[@mal723]

Let’s face it Kentucky is the Titanic

[@BlyGuy]

@@kendallandrews8691 and a teeny tiny chance they could've again shocked the world by beating the absolutely loaded 2009 Tar Heels if their best offensive player, Jerry Dyson, doesn't go down injured earlier in the season. I don't think anyone was beating that UNC squad, but I didn't think anyone was beating 99 Duke either.

[@ieronimo18]

Jerry West is The Logo, and I see Jerry West in Cam Spencer.

[@joshua-nf3rx]

Isn’t the big east a power 5 conference?

[@mal723]

Edey had 37 points rest of team 23. Only 10 rebounds, he blocked 2 shots on one possession. That’s it. UConn went at him from the get go and make him look like he was in the middle of a pinball machine. Purdue was shell shocked by UConn. 😊

[@adamwaller9935]

Did Bilas say that Clingan was returning next season?

[@stevenkidd6761]

Hurley looked like he was in practice, pushing his guy. The thing with Edey, coaches should not talk to the other teams players, especially in a negative way. That should be Tech.

[@broaddusmarines]

Kentucky???? 😂😂😂 The only place Dan Hurley is going to (IF he leaves UConn) is to the NBA.

[@toddb9311]

Jay! It's not "European" style. Guys like Tex Winter and John Bach taught the game there decades ago and they stuck with it. Reminds me of Deming and the Japanese automobile industry. I also kept a copy of "America Needs More Teaching " that you wrote years ago ;-)

[@KennethThompson-cb6yl]

Rich is definitely the george clonney of podcasters

[@petekingfish]

How do you know?

[@user-pe1ns8bd6j]

There is no reason Edey should not be a lottery pick

[@frankbombaci4977]

There’s a ton He brings the ball down way to low He’s not very quick He’s pretty one dimensional The speed of the NBA offenses are much different than the NBA - different game He’ll get bullied down in the post Obviously he’s tall but still an NBA work in progress

[@ShaneMurrell-w6o]

I agree he should be a lottery pick. This idea that he’s slow and his game doesn’t translate is based on him playing in a system that didn’t need him to do some of those things. His game is still progressing (and quickly). I can’t personally think of 14 guys that should go before him.

[@HEMI-MOMMA]

​@user-bp2bq6vr8v His progression has been mind blowing. That kid is hungry and he has a ton of heart. Just look at how healthy he's been thru his career at Purdue. I don't think anyone thought he could put in the minutes like he did in the tournament. Bigs playing an entire game isn't heard of.

[@Alan-lv9rw]

The “power” conferences just can’t kill UConn.

[@Biz613]

The Nets need to go after Dan Hurley.

[@locoman888]

He has it good at UConn why would he do that?

[@stevenkidd6761]

More $$$. Take the Hurley name to the highest level 🤷‍♂️​@@locoman888

[@garymacmillan]

I suspect the full blooming of money in NCAA ball will substantially diminish its draw.

[@MGAF688]

Since 1991, UConn (6), Duke (5), and UNC (4) have combined for 15 National Championships. 15 of the last 33 titles. Kentucky has 3 in that time. Kansas, Villanova, and Florida each have 2. 24 of 33. That's the list of today's blue bloods. UCLA and Indiana are not in that group, presently. I also would elevate Michigan State into the top tier and put Gonzaga in there even if they haven't won the title.

[@johnq.8167]

3 Peat!!! Honestly I won’t even care if Hurley leaves after a 3 Peat. Can you imagine??

[@ts4426]

Cal gave 15 years to UK. Players leaving on a yearly basis is hardly the same. Dumb argument.

[@frankbombaci4977]

Clingan could come back?!? 😮

[@larrysexton2955]

Dan Hurley showed that is an excellent coach and what a egomaniac and tool he is.

[@daddad4589]

yea he does come off as an egomaniac

[@daddad4589]

Uconn is not 3-peatin' they just lost a 7'2 lottery defensive center. Yea they will still be good but opening up the paint next year against a hundred teams who can ball with no obvious differentiator like a 7'2 big man means percentages are much lower and 7' centers who can ball don't grow on trees. Look at the bigs in the tournament: Duke's Filikowski, Creighton's Kalbrenner, Purdue's Zach Edey, lil Barkley Burns NC State.. in college ball, a good center gets you a chance to go deeper into the tournament

[@michaelbrandt6661]

Purdue will have a 7'2" soph in Berg and fr Jacobsen is an inch taller.

[@littleg6845]

Why is Zach Edey’s career going to be any different from Tacko Fall? Tacko went undrafted, received a G League 2 way contract and played plenty of garbage minutes for the 2019-‘20 Celtics. And while it was a treat to watch him in garbage time and he was beloved by crowds he was unable to do anything other then hover around the basket and defensively did not have the foot speed to react on a long drive and recover to the three point line. If you want to tell me Edey is so much more offensively refined/talented then Tacko I’ll believe you and grant it to you… but is a) that offensive skill set going to allow him to play real minutes for a team and b) what makes him any different defensively then Tacko? Because he looked absolutely lost guarding Klingan in the high post while UConn’s moving, cutting, screening Pro style offense whirled around him - which doesn’t bode well for his time in the NBA.

[@abjustdoit1294]

Rich Eisen is not allowed in the club until he starts shaving clean like Brockman, he’s never fully committed

[@allenboyer2207]

Go ahead so called scouts, let him slide to Philly. Embiid and Edey. No one would get a rebound. LOL

[@jasonector1163]

Geno HoF already, you are correct. 2006

[@UTube-gs1yf]

Zach Edey should go to Europe and play rather than sit on an nba bench. Would be more interesting from a playing and a life-experience perspective. He should also get Hakeem to teach him a few post moves before going. He's a decent to good player, but he's not ever going to be even the second option in today's NBA style.

[@areguapiri]

He'd make a boatload of money in Europe too.

[@bills1779]

Ucon ... bought the Championship 🏆 NIL, whaaat, Portal ?????

[@jacobellis9419]

Hurley seems like a jerk. The way he talked to opposing team players is inappropriate, isn't it? If they didn't win back to back I'm pretty sure folks would be saying he's out of control. Plenty of intense coaches like Izzo who don't trash talk college kids from opposing schools. As a coach he has a power dynamic over students, nothing brave or admirable about him talking to Edey.

[@jimmyrustled2493]

edey told dan hurley to relaxed. Hurley responded. Not a big deal

[@urthpainter]

Forgettable tournament. UConn, Alabama, Purdue all good teams - probably why their average margin of victory was 10+ points across 15+ games? that's not compelling (edit: unless a fan of those specific teams, of course)

[@rmac8645]

You can thank Uconn for buying a young NBA roster to steamroll the NBA minor league that is college basketball.

[@DKDeKay]

@@rmac8645okay, genius.

[@FCB.Diego1984]

@@rmac8645cry harder

[@rmac8645]

@@FCB.Diego1984 ok 🤡

[@brockjackson98]

Edey is a worse boban end of story