Former Villanova Head Coach Jay Wright Gives His Two Cents on March Madness: “It Envelops Our Country for a Whole Month”

Former Villanova head coach Jay Wright may have left college basketball a couple of years back, but he is still a huge part of it. As a part of the CBS and TNT network, he continues bringing his great insights into the world of basketball. The best-looking college basketball coach who has brought two National championships home for Villanova, talked to GQ Sports about the ongoing March Madness fun.

In a one-on-one interview with Matthew Roberson, Jay GQ expressed his feelings about the tournament. The coach of the decade (2010s) said, “It envelops our country for a whole month.” Wright also discussed how he feels about watching the entire tournament without the pressure of winning or losing. He said, “When I was coaching, I was so dialed in that I didn’t get to experience it. It was just the next game. Being in the studio, you go all the way through the tournament without losing!”

Roberson also asked Wright about his favorite teams this season. Without losing a breath, Jay said, “I really think that Houston, Purdue, and UConn are on a separate level.” He added, “Then I look at Tennessee, Arizona, North Carolina, Kentucky, Kansas. That’s the next tier.”

Once done talking about the cream of the crop teams, Wright commended three not-so-talked-about teams. He said, “Then there are some teams below that like Iowa State, Baylor and Marquette. All those teams could sneak in there. It’s amazing to me that no one talks about Iowa State! They’re the best defensive team in the country to me and could really surprise some people.”

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It is amazing how differently a former coach can view the game compared to the fans. Also, his experiences that support his views are also something that most would unanimously agree with. Here is what he thinks a team should be like.

Jay Wright on team mentality to get ahead in March Madness

Wright also discussed what, other than raw talent as a baller, helps a team to move forward in a tournament. According to him, a team that can handle the pressure of playing an away game without their fans to cheer can succeed. He also added that the ability to bounce back in the second half even after losing the first is what separates losers and winners.

On the flip side, he also stated that a selfless player is also a mantra to winning. Surely, Jay Wright would know a lot about victories. His glorious Villanova head coach resume has multiple moments of success. Further, it is interesting to see how he puts his faith in teams like Marquette to get ahead in the March Madness which no one really thinks can happen.

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What do you think about Wright’s views?