ESPN Transcript: Media Availability with College Basketball Analyst Jay Bilas
ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas met with media today to preview the 2021-22 college basketball season. The 2021-22 season tips off Tuesday, Nov. 9, highlighted by the 11th annual State Farm Champions Classic on ESPN featuring No. 3 Kansas vs Michigan State (7 p.m.) and No. 9 Duke vs No. 10 Kentucky (9:30 p.m.) at Madison Square Garden.
Full Transcript:
Q. Jay, you have a unique perspective on UNC and head coach -- new head coach Hubert Davis. What are your thoughts on Hubert taking over in year one, how his offensive system -- you think his new offensive system will work for the Tar Heels and anything you've kind of heard or known having worked with him for so long at ESPN.
JAY BILAS: I'm really excited for Hubert for North Carolina. He's not only a fabulous person, he's a great coach. I think one of the things that has been stated a lot, because it's true, is he's such a nice person. That doesn't mean he's not a cutthroat competitor. Those two things, as you know, are not mutually exclusive.
So, I expect that North Carolina's going to be -- I think they're really undervalued this year. I think they're going to be much better than they're ranked in the preseason at least, from what I've seen in some of these outlets. I think they're really going to be a challenge. They've got size and depth and shooting. They can shoot it this year.
So, I'm looking for the start of a great career as a head coach for Hubert. He's had a great career in every facet of the game leading up to this, and I'm really looking forward to it.
He sent me -- I'm sure he did it with a number of people, but sent me his first practice plan. So he's not just prepared for this, it's a dream come true. How could you not be excited for someone who this is a dream. It was a dream for him to play at North Carolina, and it's a dream to take over as head coach. It's really, really exciting to watch this.
Q. Do you have any thoughts on his offensive system, how that will work? Open, wide open, four shooters, one-in, one-out type deal?
JAY BILAS: I think it's largely due to personnel, but the game has changed. Even though the Carolina way has been extraordinarily successful over the years, in the half-court, I think, being able to use more of the floor is going to be beneficial. It certainly will be a different look.
Since Dean Smith was there, Carolina was one of the easiest scouts in the game. It was like scouting the Green Bay Packers when Lombardi was there. Everybody knew what was coming. The problem is you couldn't stop it. So, I think it will be a little bit different because every coach is a little bit different, but you'll still see the same bones there of the offense, of the fast break. But I think the half-court offense will be a little bit different to try to take advantage of the length and the width of the court.
ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas met with media today to preview the 2021-22 college basketball season. The 2021-22 season tips off Tuesday, Nov. 9, highlighted by the 11th annual State Farm Champions Classic on ESPN featuring No. 3 Kansas vs Michigan State (7 p.m.) and No. 9 Duke vs No. 10 Kentucky (9:30 p.m.) at Madison Square Garden.
Full Transcript:
Q. Jay, you have a unique perspective on UNC and head coach -- new head coach Hubert Davis. What are your thoughts on Hubert taking over in year one, how his offensive system -- you think his new offensive system will work for the Tar Heels and anything you've kind of heard or known having worked with him for so long at ESPN.
JAY BILAS: I'm really excited for Hubert for North Carolina. He's not only a fabulous person, he's a great coach. I think one of the things that has been stated a lot, because it's true, is he's such a nice person. That doesn't mean he's not a cutthroat competitor. Those two things, as you know, are not mutually exclusive.
So, I expect that North Carolina's going to be -- I think they're really undervalued this year. I think they're going to be much better than they're ranked in the preseason at least, from what I've seen in some of these outlets. I think they're really going to be a challenge. They've got size and depth and shooting. They can shoot it this year.
So, I'm looking for the start of a great career as a head coach for Hubert. He's had a great career in every facet of the game leading up to this, and I'm really looking forward to it.
He sent me -- I'm sure he did it with a number of people, but sent me his first practice plan. So he's not just prepared for this, it's a dream come true. How could you not be excited for someone who this is a dream. It was a dream for him to play at North Carolina, and it's a dream to take over as head coach. It's really, really exciting to watch this.
Q. Do you have any thoughts on his offensive system, how that will work? Open, wide open, four shooters, one-in, one-out type deal?
JAY BILAS: I think it's largely due to personnel, but the game has changed. Even though the Carolina way has been extraordinarily successful over the years, in the half-court, I think, being able to use more of the floor is going to be beneficial. It certainly will be a different look.
Since Dean Smith was there, Carolina was one of the easiest scouts in the game. It was like scouting the Green Bay Packers when Lombardi was there. Everybody knew what was coming. The problem is you couldn't stop it. So, I think it will be a little bit different because every coach is a little bit different, but you'll still see the same bones there of the offense, of the fast break. But I think the half-court offense will be a little bit different to try to take advantage of the length and the width of the court.
