Call to the Hall: HoopsHD interviews brand-new College Basketball Hall of Famer Jay Wright

Posted on July 15, 2026 by Jon Teitel

It has been an amazing few months for Villanova basketball: in April it was announced that the Wildcats will face Notre Dame in Rome this fall, in June the Knicks won an NBA title with the help of alumni Mikal Bridges/Jalen Brunson/Josh Hart, and last Monday the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2026 that includes 2-time national championship coach Jay Wright. If you look at his resume it is easy to see why he belongs in the Hall: 642 wins, 8 Big East regular season titles, 4 trips to the Final 4, 2-time Naismith College Coach of the Year, and even a gold medal as an assistant for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Jay about winning those 2 titles and being elected to yet another Hall of Fame.

Your Hall of Fame bio says that you fell in love with basketball in part due to watching games at the Palestra (aka “college basketball’s most historic gymnasium”): how do you explain those Big 5 battles to someone who has never seen them in person? In the 1960s/1970s when I 1st started watching, they were nationally ranked teams in the same city with local players who knew each other very well from competing against them each summer. Every game was a sell-out that was packed to the rafters, and it was like a “brotherly brawl”: just a magical time to be a basketball fan in Philly.

You played PG at Bucknell: how good a player were you back in the day, and how did you get into coaching? I was an average player, and like a lot of guys I probably thought that I was better than I was. When I finished playing, I knew that I still loved the game. My 1st job was with the Philadelphia Stars in the USFL, and after my friend Pat Flannery got a new job, he recommended me for an assistant coaching position at Rochester. From my very 1st day, I fell in love with it.

In 1987 you were hired as an assistant at Villanova under Coach Rollie Massimino: what was the most important thing that you ever learned from your fellow Hall of Famer? I learned so many things from him. The most important thing was to treat your team like your family and your players like your sons and take responsibility for their lives/growth as both men and players.

You got your 1st taste of success in March as a head coach in 2000/2001 at Hofstra when you made back-to-back NCAA tourney appearances after winning back-to-back conference tourney titles: what is the key to winning games in March? In March it is all about matchups. There were times when we had great teams but just ran into bad matchups, and other times when we matched up well with better teams who we ran into. You need great players because the NCAA tourney involves a unique kind of pressure, and we were blessed with many players who relished that opportunity.

Take me through your 2 title runs as coach at Villanova:
In 2016 you had a 95–51 win over Oklahoma (the largest margin of victory in Final 4 history) and then beat North Carolina in the title game on a 3-PT shot by Kris Jenkins at the buzzer (www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7FFJUz0tdo): do you think that shot by Kris is the biggest in college basketball history? I really do. There are other great shots like the NC State dunk in the 1983 title game (www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfYb-JTmJs4), but I still think Kris had the best 1. It was a 3 at the buzzer in a tie game: it went back and forth all night and came down to that 1 play to win a title.

In the 2018 title game you beat Michigan to win your 2nd title in 3 years: how did title #2 compare to title #1? It was interesting to go through that journey in 2018 because we had several players from the 2016 team, even if they had played lesser roles 2 years earlier. The NCAA tourney is a gauntlet that lasts 3 weekends and each 1 is a unique challenge. I was impressed with how that team took on each level and was so dialed in/prepared. We had great leadership from Jalen Brunson/Mikal Bridges, and our experience was truly a differentiating factor.

You were known as 1 of the best-dressed coaches in the sport: did it give you any advantage, or do you just like wearing nice suits, or other? I always felt that I got more credit for it than I deserved. My tailor, rest his soul, Gabriele D’Annunzio, took great pride in it. I liked wearing nice suits…but I also liked wearing the quarter-zips after people started to wear those!

After retiring as a coach in 2022, you joined CBS/TNT as a college basketball analyst for a few years: how did you like the TV gig? It was totally different. The aspect I liked was being part of a team, with both the people behind the scenes as well as the other hosts. I also loved going to games the day before and watching coaches run their practices in preparation.

2018 tourney MOP Donte DiVincenzo won a ring with Milwaukee in 2021, and Mikal Bridges/Josh Hart/Jalen Brunson helped the Knicks win the NBA title last month for the 1st time in more than 50 years: what do you think the legacy of your 2016 title-winning team will be when people look back on that roster in the future? The 2016 team was the 1st to take us through the tourney. At the time people thought we had no future pros…but we ended up having several guys who are still in the NBA, and that is what made us so successful.

In 2021 you were inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and earlier this week you were elected to the College Basketball Hall of Fame: where do those rank among the highlights of your career? There are things that you never aspire to. I look at the Hall of Fame as a place that is reserved for legendary greats, and I am more comfortable looking up to all those people. I am honored and it is so humbling to see everyone you are associated with in the Hall: it is surreal.

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New Athletic Year, New Conferences

Posted on July 5, 2026 by John Stalica

As of July 1, the 2026-27 athletic year for the NCAA is now underway. Most notable for this season will not only be the expansion of the NCAA Tournament from 68 to 76 teams, but we are also seeing the most conference realignment since three seasons ago when the major FBS conferences all realigned. Here’s what’s new for this year:

The Pac-12 is back (but definitely not the classic Pac-12). Oregon State and Washington State kept the conference biologically alive, but they now have reinforcements with 5 teams (Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State) out of the Mountain West, Texas State from the Sun Belt and a little school called Gonzaga that is leaving their vaunted perch atop the West Coast Conference.

The Mountain West did add three teams back for all sports; Hawai’i, UC-Davis and UTEP will join the conference for all sports and they will add Northern Illinois and North Dakota State as football-only members in the FBS. Northern Illinois consequently left the MAC and will join the Horizon League for all sports except football.

The WAC saw Southern Utah and Utah Tech leave for the Big Sky and California Baptist and Utah Valley leave for the Big West; they rebranded as the United Athletic Conference and added Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, Little Rock, North Alabama and West Georgia along with WAC holdovers Abilene Christian, Tarleton and UT-Arlington. As for the Big West, Sacramento State will join the conference as a new member this season and become an affiliate member of the MAC for football only (replacing Northern Illinois).

There were five other singular changes: the West Florida Argonauts will move up to Division 1 this year and join the Atlantic Sun Conference. Tennessee Tech will move from the Ohio Valley to the Southern Conference. Louisiana Tech is rejoining the Sun Belt Conference and departing Conference USA. Denver will join the West Coast Conference for all sports this season. Saint Francis departed the NEC and will move their athletics to Division III beginning in 2026-27.

While their teams will not change this upcoming season, the Metro Atlantic is rebranding itself as the Metro Conference this season; this will NOT have the history of the Metro Conference that existed from the 1970s through 1996 (when teams like Louisville, Cincinnati, Memphis and Charlotte had various stints in the conference).

As of right now, there are only 3 teams scheduled to join new conferences in 2027-28; Fairfield will leave the Metro and join the Coastal Athletic Association and the West Coast Conference will add UC-San Diego and UC-Santa Barbara to their ranks.

We have accordingly updated our Survival Board and NCAA Selection Committee pages for the upcoming season; Samford AD Martin Newton will be the Chairman of the Selection Committee this year.

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Going for the Gold: HoopsHD interviews USA U-17 women’s national team member Eve Long

Posted on July 2, 2026 by Jon Teitel

For those of you who cannot wait to see the next generation of college basketball players, you are in luck. USA Basketball announced the roster for its U-17 women’s national team last weekend, which includes many high school stars such as Caroline Bradley (the 1st 5-star recruit in the Class of 2027 who committed to a college), Micah Ojo (4-time Virginia Class 5 state champ), and Ivanna Wilson Manyacka (2-time Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year). 1 of the players who has been rocketing up the rankings this year is Eve Long, who was named Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year this season as a junior. Eve is heading to Czechia next week to try to win a gold medal, but earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with her about choosing Notre Dame for college and winning a game by triple-digits.

You attended Breanna Stewart’s basketball camp in the past: what did you learn from 1 of the most accomplished players in women’s basketball history? I learned so much, but 1 of the biggest lessons was the importance of recovery. I had not been prioritizing that as much as I should have, so the fact that 1 of the best players ever focuses on it really opened my eyes.

You grew up in foster care where you were separated from 1 of your 2 older brothers, but you all later reunited and are now part of a group of 8 siblings: what impact has your family had on you either on or off the court? Adoption is a really big part of my story. All my siblings are very different and have their own personatlities, which has helped me on the court because I can connect with my teammates in different ways. It has also helped me become a more independent/responsible person.

Last year on your way to winning a gold medal with Team USA at the FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup you scored 11 PTS in a 131-12 win over Panama in the quarterfinals: what was it like to win a game by 119 PTS?! It was so insane! It was a record-breaking game and it was fun/energetic because everyone on our team played so well.

You were born/raised in Kansas and were named state Gatorade POY this year as a junior: what did it mean to receive such an outstanding honor? It meant a lot. It had been a goal of mine since my freshman year and a lot of hard work went into it. They usually give that award in Kansas to a senior so I was really proud of myself to win it as a junior.

Last April on the Adidas 3-Stripes Select Basketball circuit you scored 52 PTS in a loss to 7 Days and Kaleena Smith (who won a gold medal last month at the FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup): was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDXLGZap7dU)? I started off slow in the 3 games before that and was frustrated with myself because I am used to performing at a higher level. I knew that I would have to shake off the past games that day and was glad that a lot of my shots went in.

You received scholarship offers from dozens and dozens of colleges: what made you choose Notre Dame last May? It was a really good choice for me because I connected with the coaching staff so well: I felt at peace and was very interested in them. They had several other great players commit to playing there so I wanted to step into a situation with a great team. It is also a great aceademic school that will set me up for life after basketball.

The Irish made the Elite 8 last spring and return 3-time All-American Hannah Hidalgo: how far do you think they will go next season? Their team is insane so I think they will at least make the Final 4 if not win the natty.

You have a weighted GPA that is almost 4.0: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? Just by planning ahead. My parents challenged me to be more responsible, so I want to do it for myself. I also need a high GPA to go to Notre Dame so I try to keep my grades up.

You are listed at 6’3”: what position do you play in high school, and what position will you feel most comfortable at in college? I am a versatile player but I play the 4/5 depending on what team I am on.

Last month you were named to the roster for the Women’s U-17 National Team: what does it mean to you to represent your country, and what would it mean to win a gold medal for the 2nd summer in a row? It means a lot to represent myself: for my state, for God, for my family, and for all the little girls who look up to me. 1 of my goals this year was to win another gold medal, and I really want to win it with this team.

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Man of Steal: HoopsHD interviews USA Men’s World Cup Qualifying Team member Jacob Gilyard

Posted on June 30, 2026 by Jon Teitel

In addition to all the teenagers trying to win gold medals for USA Basketball this summer, there are also some veterans trying to help Team USA qualify for the 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup in Qatar. The roster includes several former college stars such as 2020 Southland POY Kevon Harris, 2019 NCAA champ Jay Huff, and 2-time OVC POY Terry Taylor. 1 of the players with some prior professional experience is Jacob Gilyard, who spent 2 years in the NBA after setting the all-time NCAA record with 466 career STL at Richmond. Jacob is heading abroad in the days ahead for games vs. the Dominican Republic on Friday and Mexico on Monday, but earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with him about winning games in March and being a great defender.

You were born/raised in Kansas City, MO: what made you choose Richmond for college? I felt that the coaching staff, particularly head coach Chris Mooney/assistant coach Marcus Jenkins, did a good job of making me feel that they needed me. They did not make any promises that I would start as a freshman, but the gave me a chance to get some minutes, which was great because there was no NIL money back then.

In December 2017 you scored 23 PTS including a 3-PT shot with 0.4 seconds left in 3-PT win over JMU (www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYnbj2VxTVM): where does that rank among the highlights of your career? It was early in my career and that was a fun game. I had a STL a few possessions before that shot to keep it close: my teammates trusted me to have the ball in my hands at the end of the game, which gave me a lot of confidence.

During the 2022 postseason you won 4 games in 4 days to win the A-10 tourney title, then upset Iowa in the NCAA tourney before losing to Providence: what is the key to winning games in March? Staying together. Everyone has played 25-30 games at that point and has seen everything that their opponents do. We had a calm/cool/collected group that year, so even if the fans got loud there was nothing that rattled us.

You were named to the A-10 All-Defensive team 4 times and finished your career with an NCAA-record 466 STL: what is the key to being a great defender, and do you think that anyone will ever break your record? I saw that they passed a rule recently that players can stay in college for 5 years so I hope the record gets broken…but I am unsure if anyone will do it. I watched a lot of film and studied the game and took defense personally. Basketball is 50% offense and 50% defense so you must be good on both ends of the floor.

You played 2 years in the NBA with Memphis/Brooklyn: what is your favorite memory from your time in the NBA? 2 moments were pretty cool. Getting a block on my favorite player (Steph Curry) was incredible (www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ztxF00nwDI). My other favorite memory was in December 2023 when Ja Morant came back from suspension. In his 1st game back he took over down the stretch and made a game-winning floater to beat New Orleans, which was incredible to see from the sideline (www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7CoKXmtqts).

You also led the G League in AST in 2023: what is the secret to being a good PG? You need guys who can make shots! You need to read the defense, and pace is also a big part of it, but knowing your teammates’ tendencies is important so that you can make the game easier for everyone.

You are listed at 5’8”, which makes you 1 of the shortest players in NBA history: do you view your size as an advantage or a disadvantage on the court? I think it is a disadvantage, especially in today’s basketball era where it is a game of big wings. You need to turn your size into an advantage for yourself, which I feel I have done a good job of.

You have a birthday coming up next month: what are your plans for the big day? I am hoping we can win 2 games over the DR/Mexico, then come home so I can go have a good meal and celebrate with my family.

Your father Rodney played NAIA basketball and was his school’s all-time leader in AST/STL: who is the best athlete in the family? Believe it or not it is probably my older brother: he played football and runs faster/jumps higher. And as much as it hurts me to admit it, my dad was probably a better player.

Last week you were named to the roster for the USA Men’s World Cup Qualifying Team: what does it mean to you to represent your country? It is incredible. When they called me, it was a no-brainer to represent the Stars and Stripes. The 4th of July is my mom’s favorite holiday, but my dad said that after spending 26 of them with family, why wouldn’t I try to help the US as best I can this weekend?

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2026 NBA Mock Draft (Final Version)

Posted on June 22, 2026 by Jon Teitel

The NBA Draft is scheduled to start tomorrow so this is our final attempt to predict where everyone will get selected. Some websites do their mock drafts based on “best player available” but we try to focus on team needs: for example, if a team like Washington already has Trae Young at the 1, then they are probably not selecting a PG with the 1st overall pick. Please see our 1st round predictions below and then tweet us your comments regarding what looks good and what might need a re-pick.

#. TEAM: NAME, POSITION (SCHOOL/YEAR OR COUNTRY)
1. Washington: AJ Dybantsa, SF (BYU/FR)
2. Utah: Cameron Boozer, PF (Duke/FR)
3. Memphis: Darryn Peterson, PG/SG (Kansas/FR)
4. Chicago: Caleb Wilson, PF/C (North Carolina/FR)
5. LA Clippers: Keaton Wagler, PG/SG (Illinois/FR)
6. Brooklyn: Mikel Brown Jr., PG (Louisville/FR)
7. Sacramento: Darius Acuff Jr., PG (Arkansas/FR)
8. Atlanta: Brayden Burries, PG/SG (Arizona/FR)
9. Dallas: Kingston Flemings, PG (Houston/FR)
10. Milwaukee: Nate Ament, SF/PF (Tennessee/FR)
11. Golden State: Aday Mara, C (Michigan/JR)
12. Oklahoma City: Karim Lopez, SF/PF (Mexico)
13. Miami: Hannes Steinbach, PF (Washington/FR)
14. Charlotte: Morez Johnson Jr., PF/C (Michigan/SO)
15. Chicago: Christian Anderson, PG/SG (Texas Tech/SO)
16. Memphis: Yaxel Lendeborg, PF (Michigan/SR)
17. Oklahoma City: Cameron Carr, SG (Baylor/JR)
18. Charlotte: Labaron Philon Jr., PG (Alabama/SO)
19. Toronto: Chris Cenac Jr., PF/C (Houston/FR)
20. San Antonio: Allen Graves, PF (Santa Clara/FR)
21. Detroit: Isaiah Evans, SG/SF (Duke/SO)
22. Philadelphia: Dailyn Swain, SF (Texas/JR)
23. Atlanta: Bennett Stirtz, PG (Iowa/SR)
24. New York: Henri Veesaar, C (North Carolina/JR)
25. LA Lakers: Jayden Quaintance, PF/C (Kentucky/SO)
26. Denver: Ebuka Okorie, PG/SG (Stanford/FR)
27. Boston: Koa Peat, PF (Arizona/FR)
28. Minnesota: Meleek Thomas, PG/SG (Arkansas/FR)
29. Cleveland: Sergio De Larrea, PG/SG (Spain)
30. Dallas: Tarris Reed Jr., PF/C (Connecticut/SR)

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Going for the Gold: HoopsHD interviews USA U-17 national team finalist Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje

Posted on June 18, 2026 by Jon Teitel

For those of you who cannot wait to see the next generation of college basketball players, you are in luck. USA Basketball announced the finalists for its U-17 national team roster last weekend, which includes many high school stars with famous relatives like Beckham Black (brother of Orlando Magic guard Anthony), NaVorro Bowman Jr. (son of former NFL All-Pro LB NaVorro), and Erick Dampier Jr. (son of 1996 NBA lottery pick Erick). 1 of the players who has been rocketing up the rankings this year is Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, whose father Ruben was 2001 Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year at Georgetown and remains 1 of the best shot-blockers in Hoya history. Joaquim is hoping to head to Istanbul next week and try to win a gold medal, but earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with him about choosing Duke for college and his decision to reclassify from the Class of 2027.

You grew up in Florida and played AAU basketball there: why did you decide to move to Spain to join the FC Barcelona Youth Academy in 2023? I was born in Germany while my dad was playing abroad, but we later moved to Florida. My dad eventually got a job in Africa, which gave me a chance to play basketball outside the US, and Barcelona was a really good fit for me.

Last November you scored 29 PTS/8-11 3PM in a win over Real Madrid: how big is the rivalry for those who have never seen it in person? It is really big. Nobody on either team likes each other so it is a really intense rivalry.

Last March you helped lead Barcelona to a win in the EuroLeague NextGen tourney and were named tourney MVP: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It meant a lot. Very few players get to accomplish that so it was a great honor.

You were originally part of the Class of 2027 for high school players: why did you decide to reclassify to the Class of 2026? I was originally planning to go to high school before moving to Spain, and I felt that the best option for me next year was to play college basketball rather than high school basketball. I think it will benefit me more in the long run.

Last April you verbally committed to Duke: what was the biggest factor in your decision? The development program that Coach Jon Scheyer has. I really liked everything he said and he laid out a good plan for me to get better.

You are part of an incredible recruiting class including Bryson Howard/Maxime Meyer/Deron Rippey Jr./Cameron Williams: how well do you know any of your future teammates? I do not know any of them yet, but am excited to meet them later this year.

You are listed at 7”: what position do you play at Barcelona, and what position will you feel most comfortable at in college? I am a PF and feel most comfortable at that position: I have more skills there than I do as a strict 5.

Your father Ruben played basketball at Georgetown and then spent a decade playing pro basketball: who is the best athlete in the family? Right now I would say me, but I do not know what he would say.

You turned 17 last month: how did you celebrate the big day? I hung out with some friends for the last time because I am moving back to the US and spent time with my family.

Earlier this week you were named a finalist for the U-17 National Team: what would it mean to you to represent your country as you try to win a gold medal in Istanbul? It would mean a lot. I will only have 1 chance at this so I will keep pushing for it because winning a gold medal is something I would remember for the rest of my life.

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