Former NBA star Richard Jefferson recently took a firm stance in favor of a longstanding tradition in college sports: court storming.
Richard Jefferson blasts Jay Bilas for ‘Get off my lawn’ take about court storming: ‘Asinine.’ https://t.co/uUMZ0SGIxk pic.twitter.com/1ufxiSE65j
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 27, 2024
It"s a phenomenon that has come under increased scrutiny lately following a recent injury.
Jefferson made his remarks during an interview on Monday, arguing that fans “deserve" the opportunity to rush the court in excitement after important victories.
The ex-NBA player"s comments were sparked by ESPN"s college basketball analyst Jay Bilas"s suggestion that fans who engage in court-storming should potentially face legal repercussions.
Jefferson dismissed Bilas" idea outright, criticizing it as the “dumbest" thing he had ever heard.
Jefferson has personally experienced court storming from both ends, as a player and as a fan, and he sees it as an integral part of the college basketball experience.
ESPN"s Bilas faced criticism, especially from Jefferson, for suggesting potential detention or arrest for court-storming fans.
“Did he say detain 10,000 people?" “Did he say give 10,000 people citations?"
“First of all, I get it… I"ve had the court stormed on me four or five times, it"s a part of it. It sucks.
“To say something, and I love Jay Bilas – a legend in this game. That is asinine, to suggest that… To me, if you paid your tuition and you go and support your team and they"re an underdog against a high-level Arizona, Duke, North Carolina, Kansas [or] Kentucky, and you get the win, you deserve to storm the court."
Richard Jefferson doesn't seem to agree with Jay Bilas. pic.twitter.com/knNIpZeqpV
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 26, 2024
Jefferson, who admitted to having the court stormed on him four or five times during his college days, maintained that, while the experience can be disorienting, it remains part of the sport"s culture.
The debate over court-storming has taken on heightened significance recently. A major trigger for this was the ankle injury Duke star Kyle Filipowski sustained during a chaotic court storming after a Wake Forest upset victory.
This incident added fuel to the fire for critics who argue that the tradition puts players in harm"s way.
Despite the increasing voices suggesting the curtailment of the tradition, Jefferson stands firm in his conviction that fans ‘deserve" to engage in court-storming after their school"s significant victories.
He argues that the tradition remains a defining part of the collegiate basketball experience. It retains a sense of spontaneity, delight, and community that"s distinct to college sports.
