Seen and heard at McKale: Richard Jefferson's Final Four expectations, 2001 celebrations

While many standouts from Arizona’s 2001 Final Four team didn’t make it to McKale Center for that team’s 25th anniversary celebration Saturday, Richard Jefferson and Luke Walton sent regrets via the video board.

Filmed with a snowy scene behind him — Walton is an assistant coach for the Detroit Pistons — Walton told fans he was “heartbroken not to be there,” while Jefferson expressed the same from Los Angeles, where he was given a last-minute assignment to cover Saturday night’s game between the Lakers and Warriors for ABC.

“I really wish I could be there rather than calling that game,” Jefferson said. “I think everybody in Tucson knows that.”

Both players spoke to the bond of that 2001 team, which had to overcome the death of coach Lute Olson’s wife, Bobbi, to finish second in the Pac-12 and reach the national title game before losing 82-72 to Duke.

“I wanted to go to Arizona and win a national championship,” Jefferson said. “While we did fall short, the brotherhood, the community and everyone, I’ve always been thankful for.

“And lastly, we haven’t been to the Final Four since this amazing group that is there today and tonight. I believe for the first time that we have a team that will return” there.

The players who did make it to McKale on Saturday were introduced individually: Travis Hanour, Jason Ranne, Andrew Zahn, Mike Schwertley, John Ash, Justin Wessel, Russell Harris, Rick Anderson, Lamont Frazier, Jason Gardner and Gene Edgerson, who waved the national runner-up trophy to the crowd.

The players had their picture taken with UA athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois and UA president Suresh Garimella before meeting center court for group photos. Coaches and support staffers were also introduced in groups.

Moment for Wright

During the ceremony, Arizona also paid tribute to the starting power forward for that team, Michael Wright, who was murdered in 2015 at age 35 after establishing a successful overseas basketball career.

Wright, who became a Turkish citizen under the name Ali Karadeniz, was found dead in the backseat of an SUV in New Jersey, and two men were charged in connection with the killing.

Good times

The 2001 players, coaches and staffers who did make it to town were treated to a happy hour on Friday at the Union Public House and were scheduled for a dinner after Saturday’s game.

Richard Paige, the publicist for many UA teams during the Lute Olson and Sean Miller eras, said Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd invited all the 2001 players and staffers to watch practice on Friday, while being a gracious host.

“Tommy’s a great guy and you can tell he really cares about this program — and he genuinely makes you feel like you are a part of it,” Paige said. “It’s the people who make this program.”

Anniversary T-shirts

Even though most of them probably weren’t even born when the Wildcats made that 2001 run to the Final Four, UA students sitting in lower-level seats were given commemorative 2001 T-shirts.

The white shirts featuring blue lettering in red trim read “Arizona 2001 25th anniversary celebration.”

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

Bear Down Bash

The Bear Down Bash returned Saturday outside the north end of McKale Center, this time featuring the rock cover band Off the Record and the indie band Table Manners.

Off The Record played hits ranging from the 1980s into the 2000s, including songs such as Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer,” The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside,” Bon Jovi’s “Runaway” and Santana’s “Smooth.”

Available for lunch were Chick-fil-A sandwiches and Surfside iced tea and vodka.

GameDay returning to McKale

ESPN announced it will broadcast its GameDay show from McKale Center on Feb. 14, its first appearance in Tucson during UA’s Big 12 era.

In fact, GameDay hasn’t set up at McKale since Feb. 19, 2022, before the Wildcats hosted Oregon.

The following season, before UA hosted UCLA, ESPN held a partial “GameDay” of sorts when analyst Jay Bilas participated in GameDay remotely from McKale in front of the ZonaZoo. Host Rece Davis and analysts LaPhonso Ellis and Seth Greenberg were in-studio since ESPN wasn’t operating the full GameDays that weekend due to its NFL playoff coverage.

ESPN’s choice this time will make for a busy day at McKale. GameDay will be filmed between 8-10 a.m., with the UA women’s team playing ASU at noon and the men facing Texas Tech at 4:30 p.m.

The UA women’s team was initially scheduled to tipoff at 11 a.m. but was pushed back to noon because of the transition needed from GameDay. In turn, that will keep the men’s team off the floor until two hours before its game.

JB’s 1,000 recognized

Arizona gave a brief mention and video tribute to guard Jaden Bradley for scoring 1,000 points for the Wildcats since his arrival in 2023.

Entering Saturday’s game, Bradley scored 1,002 points at UA — after scoring 235 for the other “UA” — Alabama, where he spent his freshman season of 2022-23 season.

Future Wildcat 

Arizona signee Cameron Holmes was in attendance and appeared surprised when he was announced and flashed on the McKale Center video board.

Holmes, a do-it-all standout forward at Goodyear Millennium High School, is scheduled to play for Arizona next season.

The big number 

23 - Straight Arizona wins, the longest winning streak in program and Big 12 history.

Quotable 

"You're not always going to be young. You're not always going to be the player. Pretty soon, you're going to be the fan or the parent, and you're going to have something to root for and cheer for, you're going to have a team you're still a part of, even when your playing days are done. That's a powerful thing."

-- UA coach Tommy Lloyd, on the message his current players can receive by visiting with members of the 2001 team.