In case you didn't know, Tommy Lloyd is not just a competitive college basketball head coach, he's also a rabid pickleball player.ย
While Lloyd was a guest on ESPN's SportsCenter Friday night leading up No. 8 Arizona's regular season finale with No. 4 UCLA at Pauley Pavilion, he told host Neil Everett his pickleball game is a "work in progress." But Lloyd didn't shy away from saying he feels "pretty confident" providing a "free ass-whooping" to, well, me in a pickleball match.ย
Tommy Lloyd slandering my pickleball potential on SportsCenter ๐ ๐ pic.twitter.com/xDOmBzpSDP
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) March 4, 2023
"I just enjoy it," Lloyd said. "I enjoy getting out there, competing and talking some trash with my buddies. We recently put a pickleball court in my backyard, and it's been a ton of fun."
Pickleball has been considered the fastest growing sport in the U.S. and famous athletes such as LeBron James, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Draymond Green and Kevin Love, among others, have invested in Major League Pickleball.ย
Besides his pickleball game, Lloyd discussed his son Liam Lloyd's โ who the older Lloyd called "Lee-Lee" โ game-tying 3-pointer in Northern Arizona's loss to Weber State.
Lloyd also talked on Friday about the Pac-12 Player of the Year race between UCLA's Jaime Jaquez and Arizona forward Azuolas Tubelis.ย
"Jaquez is a great college basketball player. He's fun to watch play, not play against, and he has a variety of moves and a swag and a confidence about him that makes him tough," he said. "Tubelis on the other hand, he's a unique college player. He moves really well and is great in transition. He's left-handed and tough to guard.
Added Lloyd: "Two elite college basketball players playing on two great programs."ย
As Arizona prepares for the postseason, Lloyd is hopeful the year of experience in the NCAA Tournament will benefit Arizona, which was eliminated by the Houston Cougars in the Sweet 16 last season.ย
Said Lloyd: "I hope our players have a better understanding of what comes with playing in the NCAA Tournament and the moment, and being primed to take advantage of those opportunities."
