Q&A with Jay Wright ahead of the NCAA Tournament

Jay Wright coached Hofstra’s men’s basketball team from 1994-2001, securing NCAA bids in each of his final two seasons, then left for Villanova, where he won NCAA titles in 2016 and ’18.

He departed Villanova after leading the Wildcats to the 2022 Final Four and now is a studio and game analyst at CBS, set to join the NCAA Tournament studio team this week.

Wright, 61, spoke to Newsday about that and other topics last week in an interview that has been edited for length and clarity.

Newsday: What do you think of the job your former player, Speedy Claxton, has done at Hofstra?

Wright: Amazing. I’m so proud of him, our whole family is, because Speedy was such a big part of our lives.

He built that program with us, so everybody in our family was watching (Monday, when Hofstra was upset in a CAA Tournament semifinal by UNC Wilmington). We were dying. It’s just so typical of tournament play; anything can happen.

But we’re so proud of him. He has done such a great job . . . There’s a general manager-type approach you have to have now because of the business of it, with NIL and the transfer portal. I think he’s got a really good feel for that. I think he’s really smart in that area.

ND: Did you enjoy your first extensive taste of television work this season?

Wright: I loved it. I always respected it, and you always know that anybody that’s good at what they do has to work at it . . . But once you do it and really see what they do, I have even more respect for them.

Bill Raftery, everybody sees a nice guy. They have no idea how hard he works to prepare. I’ve learned so much and gained even more respect for everyone.

ND: Does staying around the game through TV work make it harder to be removed from the coaching part, or does it make the transition easier?

Wright: Definitely a positive. It’s amazing. It’s so much fun being a part of this. I’m able to watch all these other games.

I’ve been tweeting congratulations to teams that make the tournament, because I see the joy, and it reminds me of our Hofstra days, that joy of just making the tournament.

We were always, like, a 14 seed. Playing in the game was just the chance of a lifetime to shock the world. It wasn’t any pressure at all. I wouldn’t know that Furman won and they’re in the tournament (if I were still at Villanova). Now I’m able to watch it and see the joy and tweet about it.

The AD there (Jason Donnelly) was our former assistant (at Villanova). I am loving just being a part of the joy of March Madness.

ND: Do you miss coaching?

Wright: I really feel like I’ve moved past that. I feel like I’ve given everything I’ve had to that. I really felt like I didn’t have anything left to give. And I can really, truly enjoy watching other people and being a fan of it.

During last year I was getting myself through by just saying to myself, ‘Finish this strong.’ It was kind of like busting it out at the end of a marathon.

Just give everything. You’re going to be totally drained, totally exhausted, but this is it. This is the end. I feel blessed that I was able to do that.

ND: What has it been like watching your former players Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart excel with the Knicks?

Wright: It’s so much fun. I love Thibs (coach Tom Thibodeau). I worked with Thibs a lot with USA Basketball. I think he’s great for them.

I see the chemistry and I’m thrilled about it. They’re like my kids.

But it’s a marathon in the NBA season. So I’m really excited and enjoying it, but there’s a side of me that’s tempering it, because I know how long the season is and then the playoffs.

Everybody’s on Cloud Nine right now, but they’ve got a lot of work to do.

ND: What do you think about how your former player Mikal Bridges is doing with the Nets?

Wright: I’m so happy for him. I know this sounds corny, but he’s got the purest, clearest basketball mind you will ever meet. He was one of the best players (in college), but there were games where he just guarded the best (opposing) player. He scored eight points and didn’t care.

There were other games like the championship game in the Big East Tournament (in 2018). He drills a three in overtime to win the game.

A lot of players’ minds can get clogged with a lot of different things and it affects their play. I think that’s why he’s always so effective. He’s got such a clear mind.

ND: Who will win the NCAA championship?

Wright: I like Houston, Kansas and UCLA because of their tournament experience.

By Neil Best

neil.best@newsday.com@sportswatch

Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.