Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright talks changes in college basketball

Author: Zach Oliveri
Published: Updated:

You can’t talk Villanova men’s basketball without remembering the game-winning shot from Kris Jenkins at the buzzer in the 2016 National Championship game. That gave head coach Jay Wright his first of two national titles. He recalled that moment and his Hall of Fame career during an event with the Naples Children & Education Foundation (NCEF).

When asked if he misses coaching, his response was, “I really don’t. I’m doing the TV. I get to go through the NCAA Tournament all the way to the championship game. I don’t lose anymore. So it’s a lot of fun.”

Wright has seen the game transform since he retired in 2022, with name image and likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal taking over.

“I think it’s good to keep student athletes in college because they can actually make some money,” Wright said. “I’m more concerned about the transfer portal interfering with ladies and men getting their education and getting their degrees.”

During a conversation with WINK Sports Reporter Zach Oliveri, Wright stressed his hope that education doesn’t get lost in all of these changes.

“I don’t want us to lose what we have here in the United States where the connection of athletics and academics,” Wright explained. “We’re the only country in the world that people come from all over the world to be a part of this.”

This season, women’s college basketball has seen record numbers of attention with 18.7 million people tuning into the National Championship game between undefeated South Carolina and Catlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes.

“I think there’s a lot of young women especially in college basketball and in college sport that are going to build on what Caitlin Clark created,” Wright said.

Wright feels the game on the court is in great shape, but there are some changes he’d like to see.

“We really have to hope that Charlie Baker, as the president of the NCAA, can find some guardrails where we can keep guys and ladies at schools,” Wright said. “Maybe enter contracts with the schools so they can stay there for two, three, four years. Be connected to the alumni, connected to the student body and get your education and degree.”

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