Big East 'statesman' Jay Wright says transfer portal, NIL, covid lead to better basketball

Jay Wright has been Villanova’s basketball coach for 21 years, winning two national championships and averaging more than 29 victories per season since 2014.

Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann called Wright the “statesman” of the Big East. His voice carries more weight than most coaches.

When Wright was asked about the upsets that show up every year in the NCAA Tournament, he had an interesting theory on why those mid-majors — such as St. Peter’s, a winner against blue blood Kentucky — can be dangerous in a one-and-done format.

It’s the NCAA transfer portal, NIL and covid all working together, Wright said.

“I think this year the good teams are because of the transfer portal and covid, guys staying the extra (year, granted by the NCAA),” he said. “You’re just seeing the mid-majors with a lot of older guys, and you’re seeing the Big 5 programs with older guys, too. I just think it’s making for a better brand of basketball.”

Also, name, image and likeness legislation that allows student-athletes to profit from their reputations could lead to some players staying in school longer, instead of bolting too soon for the NBA.

”I think the impact of NIL with the transfer portal is going to — eventually when we get it all figured out — benefit college basketball,” he said. “Because, I think, guys in the past that have had to leave early because they just had to do it for their families are going to be able to make money and stay, and you’re going to see older players playing.”

Perhaps more of the best players will decide to stay in school for all four years of eligibility.

“If you remember back in the old Big East — I remember Patrick Ewing against Ralph Sampson, the Virginia-Georgetown game — and those guys would have never been in college (for four years) these days,” Wright said.

”You might see that again in college basketball. I think it’s going to be great for college basketball.“