Bill Walton, far right on stage, emceed a banquet featuring the eight coaches participating in the Maui Invitational. UA coach Sean Miller is on the left behind the surfboard.

 Bruce Pascoe, Arizona Daily Star 2018

LAHAINA, Hawaii – After working in one of his β€œconference of champions” references when talking about the Arizona Wildcats and coach Sean Miller during a Maui Invitational dinner event Sunday, Bill Walton jokingly played dumb about Xavier and coach Travis Steele.

β€œThat’s in Cincinnati?” Walton asked Steele, and then went on with more playful questions.

β€œBill,” Miller said at one point, interrupting Walton. β€œYou know they were a No. 1 seed last year, right? I just wanted to make sure you know that.”

As the emcee of the $178 dinner, Walton did brief interviews with each of the coaches on a Kaanapali resort lawn fronting the ocean. When Walton asked Miller about his team being the hunter instead of hunted this season, Miller said it was β€œdifferent for sure” but talked positively about his players.

Walton also asked Miller what keeps him excited about this season’s team.

β€œWell, you know in college basketball, that’s what happens,” Miller said. β€œIt’s a very young game. We’re not the only program in the the country who’s playing young players. There’s quite a few others up here who have quite a few young faces.”

His full responses to those questions is in the video below:

Later, Miller said he was fortunate to be at UA, and β€œthere’s no place in the world that loves college basketball more than Tucson and McKale Center."

He added: "And Bill, people think you’re a Bruin but you’re part-Wildcat,” referencing how Luke Walton played for the Wildcats.

Walton responded in typical form.

β€œWe are most proud and honored and fortunate for him to have done that,” Walton said, β€œand for you to be in the conference of champions.”

Emmanuel Akot represented the Wildcats in a hula dancing competition featuring one player from each team, but didn’t make the β€œfinals” as judged by crowd applause. The ultimate winner was Iowa State’s Terrence Lewis.

Akot is shown dancing on the left in this video:

Walton asked Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski if he has a β€œa great team or the greatest team ever?”

Krzyzewski said β€œit’s the greatest team ... I’m coaching right now.”

It’s not really a surprise to Miller that he’s coming across another former protΓ©gΓ© in Travis Steele in Maui, according to what he told the Cincinnati Enquirer.

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