1-on-1 with Jay Bilas

Next Possession

ESPN Analyst, Jay Bilas joins Coach Hawk for a wide-ranging conversation that details his career as an athlete and as a student, calls out holes in the NCAA's logic for not paying players and even reveals some of his television watching habits.
The conversation begins with a breakdown of the major variables that influenced Jay's choice to attend Duke University. He shares tales of his recruitment experience, rocky relationship with his high school coach, and the importance he placed on making the correct decision when choosing his college coach. "When Coach K first called me, I didn't know his name..."
Jay's love for Duke shines through as he describes his respect for Coach K and reveals his inability to call him "Mike" unless they're speaking on a television broadcast. He and Coach Hawk talk at length about the fact that players choose schools because of coaches and the culture they've created at an institution, not the institution itself.
Mid-way through their conversation, Jay shares a few of his experiences communicating concerns and ideas as a member of the NCAA Long-term Planning Committee when he was a college freshman. "I spoke up in meetings, but whatever the decision was, you publicly supported it and you kept your differences with the power structure to yourself...as a player, I almost felt like I had to do that..."
Jay does a phenomenal job of applying a lawyer's logic to the hurdles facing the evolution of college basketball and offers some ideas of how things can successfully move into the future for all involved parties. He also details the glaring hypocrisy of the way college athletes are exploited. "...there are a lot of students on full-scholarship, Music, English, Science, whatever. Nobody's telling them...now you're getting your school paid for, therefore you've gotta concentrate only on school. You can't work. You can't do anything else. You can't have any other interests that are gonna make you money..."
Other topics touched on are the challenges of being a television analyst, handling criticism, and referees.
Finally, Hawk brings back the "Free Throws" segment and learns a bit about Jay's recent Netflix obsessions, musical and restaurant tastes, and his respect for Bill Walton.
The "Tip-off Question" comes from Calvin in Fayetville, North Carolina. Calvin asks Coach Hawk the one thing he'd change if he was suddenly named the President of the NCAA? *Spoiler Alert* He takes the easy way out and defers to Mr. Bilas.
This week's "Buzzer-Beater" focuses on the power and comfort of Jay's voice when it comes to advocating for the interests of college athletes and their families. Hawk cites a recent example of Bilas using Twitter as a tool to bring awareness and influence to former Western Michigan University, now Univesity of South Alabama player, Mike Flowers 2020 transfer complications.