The Kansas men’s basketball team was holding a one-point lead with less than a minute to play in Monday night’s NCAA national championship game when North Carolina’s Armando Bacot drove to the basket.
Bacot had a sore ankle after he was hurt during a Final Four win over Duke, and he aggravated the injury while driving to the basket looking to give the Tar Heels the lead.
KU got possession of the ball after Bacot was hurt and struggled to get back on defense. The Jayhawks had a five-on-four opportunity and could have padded their lead. Instead KU’s Jalen Wilson slowed things down, allowing a hobbled Bacot to get back on defense. The officials then called a timeout.
That act of sportsmanship didn’t hurt Kansas, as it won 72-69 for its fourth NCAA national championship.
And it didn’t go unnoticed by the national media or fans.
“That is one of the great examples of sportsmanship you will ever see,” SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell wrote. “Yes, Kansas was running out the clock for a few extra seconds, but the video shows Kansas coaches weren’t thrilled with the possession. With the national title on the line in a one-point game, Jalen Wilson had a wide open shot from three as Bacot hobbled down the floor on the other end. Instead of shooting or finding an open man as the defense scrambled, KU called timeout.”
The officials actually stopped the game, but that doesn’t take away from O’Donnell’s point.
CBS Sports’ Chris Bengal had a story about the classy moment.
“In a showing of sportsmanship, however, Kansas forward Jalen Wilson chose not to take advantage of the 5-on-4 situation up 70-69 while Bacot gingerly limped up the court before officials blew the play dead for a substitution,” Bengal wrote.
Jeff Pearlman, who has written a number of sports-related books, praised Kansas coach Bill Self.
“I didn’t care about last night’s game,” Pearlman wrote on Twitter. “But I care about sportsmanship. I’ve seen far too many coaches—beginning in youth leagues—who would have taken advantage of Bacot going down. Good on Bill Self for being decent.”
Fans around the country also praised KU on Twitter.
Good sportsmanship KU for not attacking while Bacot was one legged.
— ABPAWVU79 (@abpawvu79) April 5, 2022
Unbelievable display of sportsmanship by Kansas to not push forward when Bacot went down. Less than a minute to go in a one-point national championship game and they held up
— Daniel Schwartz (@Schwartz317) April 5, 2022
Kansas had an opportunity to take advantage of a shorthanded North Carolina on that trip, and chose not to. A lot of people will criticize KU, but to me that’s great sportsmanship.
— Danny Mata KRDO (@DannyMataJr) April 5, 2022
Also wanted to give Kansas players a shot out for great sportsmanship tonight, when Bacot went down with the injury with 38 seconds left in a freaking national championship game they slowed it down to stop play and get him off court. Very few teams would do that. Bravo.
— BeatinTheBookie.com️ (@BeatinTheBookie) April 5, 2022
What shouldn’t go unnoticed is how Kansas pulled back and didn’t take advantage of the injury and limited Tar Heels defense. You don’t see that often. Good sportsmanship on display. pic.twitter.com/32C95Zw5bh
— ️CEO of Bad Floorboard Takes️ (@doopsterwhodat) April 5, 2022