The place are they now? March Insanity names of the previous

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The event is not simply an annual occasion however has a throughline of sports activities and faculty athletics historical past. When the brackets come out, all of us sit there and stare upon it as if it had been a chunk or artwork simply brimming with potential. We really feel like we all know what’s supposed to occur, nevertheless it hardly ever ever works like that. Somebody will get upset … however who? Who would be the gamers who both take over a complete event or simply seize maintain of a second and make it final a lifetime?

Many well-known gamers have come by means of the NCAA event whereas others grew to become well-known for what they did in it. Some seized the second, whether or not that was a dominating Remaining 4 run or a man who got here out of nowhere and grabbed the chance when it offered itself. An enormous shot. Many large pictures that led to one of many extra memorable video games or event runs ever. Guys who got here up huge when it counted.

A few of these guys by no means enter that degree of (or any) highlight once more. Many go on to non-descript skilled basketball careers whereas others “went professional” in one thing else. However everytime March rolls round we keep in mind them and the way they made us felt. They’re the lifetime of the Huge Dance.

Listed below are some March Insanity names of the previous and what they have been as much as because you cheered them on within the event. 

 

1 of 25

Curtis Blair, Richmond

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports activities

Blair led the Richmond Spiders in scoring (and hit some clutch free throws) the evening the No. 15 seed upset No. 2 Syracuse in 1991. Blair was the CAA Participant of the 12 months the next season and can be drafted by the Houston Rockets. After a profession enjoying world wide, he grew to become a referee for highschool and faculty video games. Since 2008, he has been a ref within the NBA. 

 

2 of 25

Lorenzo Charles, NC State

Lorenzo Charles, NC State

NCAA Photographs-Getty Photographs

It was Lorenzo Charles who made the championship-winning play in 1983 for the Wolfpack, leaving coach Jim Valvano working round in search of somebody to hug. He would play only one NBA season earlier than embarking on a profession in Europe and numerous minor American leagues earlier than retiring in 2001. Charles handed away in 2011 when a bus he was driving crashed on I-40 close to Raleigh, N.C. He’s buried simply 20 areas away from his former North Carolina State head coach, Valvano. Charles was 47 years outdated.

 

Three of 25

Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State

Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State

Kirthmon F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press

Cleaves memorably led the “Flintstones” Spartans to the 2000 NCAA championship. His NBA profession was extra about his locker room presence than his play. After simply 167 video games, his NBA profession was performed. He was a studio analyst for the Pistons and CBS Sports activities earlier than changing into a management coach at United Wholesale Mortgage.

 

Four of 25

Juan Dixon, Maryland

Juan Dixon, Maryland

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports activities

Dixon was an All-American and Most Excellent Participant throughout Maryland’s 2002 nationwide championship season. He went on to an eight-year NBA profession, most notably with the Wizards and Blazers. After a quick teaching stint with Maryland and in girls’s basketball, Dixon is at the moment the top coach of Coppin State the place the Eagles have struggled in his six seasons on the helm. His spouse Robyn, who he met in highschool, is a part of the forged of “Actual Housewives of Potomac”.

 

5 of 25

Bryce Drew, Valparaiso

Bryce Drew, Valparaiso

Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire

Drew is most remembered for hitting “the shot” towards Ole Miss within the 1998 NCAA Event, probably the most well-known buzzer-beaters in tourney historical past. After a five-year stint changing his father, Homer, as the top coach at Valparaiso, he went on to change into the top basketball coach at Vanderbilt College for 3 years. He’s at the moment the top coach at Grand Canyon College.

 

Tyus Edney, UCLA

Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire

Edney’s layup towards Missouri within the second spherical of the 1995 NCAA Event vaulted UCLA to its final nationwide championship. After a brief NBA profession, he grew to become a well-liked participant in Europe for a decade. Edney returned to Westwood as an assistant coach at UCLA till 2019. Now he’s an assistant at San Diego underneath Steve Lavin, who was an assistant at UCLA on that ’95 title group.

 

7 of 25

Ali Farokhmanesh, Northern Iowa

Ali Farokhmanesh, Northern Iowa

Timothy Hurst/The Coloradoan

All of us keep in mind Farokhmanesh’s shot that toppled No. 1 general seed Kansas in 2010 in addition to the large shot he hit towards UNLV a spherical earlier. After a couple of years enjoying in Europe, he grew to become director of participant relations and improvement for Nebraska’s basketball program. After taking an assistant teaching job at Drake, he’s now an assistant coach at Colorado State.

 

eight of 25

Richie Frahm, Gonzaga

Richie Frahm, Gonzaga

Jed Jacobsohn/ALLSPORT/Getty Photographs

Gonzaga’s leap into one of many elite applications in faculty basketball started with their Cinderella run to the Elite eight in 1999. Richie Frahm was the star of that group. After faculty, Frahm spent a while within the NBA, The Philippines, Turkey, Italy and Japan. Now Frahm has discovered a solution to feed his aggressive edge in biking. 

 

9 of 25

Jimmer Fredette, BYU

Jimmer Fredette, BYU

Chuck Cook dinner-USA TODAY Sports activities

It is unimaginable to overlook Jimmer Fredette’s scoring outbursts in the course of the 2011 NCAA Event by which he helped lead BYU to the Candy 16. That led to Fredette being chosen No. 10 general within the 2011 draft, however he hasn’t been capable of stick within the NBA. Fredette has had a pleasant worldwide profession and even earned league MVP honors in China after the 2017 season. Fredette performed within the 2018 Basketball Event and is now attempting to qualify for the 2024 Olympics in 3-on-Three basketball.

 

10 of 25

Tate George, UConn

Tate George, UConn

Robert W Stowell Jr /Getty Photographs

Tate George is finest identified for hitting a game-winning shot to beat Clemson within the 1990 Candy 16. His NBA profession was quick, although he did have a good CBA profession. George served a nine-year sentence for wire fraud involving his actual property firm in a Ponzi scheme in New Jersey. He additionally has had tax points involving his pension from the NBA. He was launched in 2021 and should pay $2.5M in restitution.

 

11 of 25

Luke Hancock, Louisville

Luke Hancock, Louisville

David Hahn/Icon Sportswire

Hancock’s large 2013 Remaining 4 made him the primary bench participant in NCAA Event historical past to win the Most Excellent Participant Award. After graduating from Louisville, Hancock suffered a leg harm whereas enjoying in Greece and determined to finish his hoops profession. He would go on to change into a monetary advisor and works with numerous charities for autism. He at the moment works for the ACC Community on lots of its basketball studio exhibits. 

 

12 of 25

Kris Jenkins, Villanova

Kris Jenkins, Villanova

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports activities

Kris Jenkins could have hit the largest shot in NCAA championship historical past, a three-pointer on the buzzer to beat North Carolina in 2016. After graduating, Jenkins performed a bit within the G League and in Germany earlier than retiring in 2019. At the moment he’s a part of participant improvement for his alma mater, Villanova. 

 

13 of 25

Bo Kimble, Loyola Marymount

Bo Kimble, Loyola Marymount

Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports activities

Who may overlook Bo Kimble taking pictures free throws left handed to honor his teammate, Hank Gathers, who collapsed and died in the course of the 1990 West Coast Convention event. Regardless of that tragedy, Kimble led the Lions to the Elite eight the place they’d lose to eventual champion UNLV. Kimble was a lottery choose, however his Clippers profession by no means blossomed. Since basketball, he based a non-profit that honors Gathers by getting concerned in consciousness and causes of cardiac arrest.   

 

14 of 25

Sean Could, North Carolina

Sean May, North Carolina

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports activities

Could received Most Excellent Participant honors when he led North Carolina to the 2005 NCAA championship over Illinois. After 4 uneventful NBA seasons, he bounced round Europe however did not discover a lot success. He’s at the moment again at his alma mater, first because the director of basketball operations for the Tar Heels and now as an assistant head coach to Hubert Davis. 

 

15 of 25

Kyle O’Quinn, Norfolk State

Kyle O'Quinn, Norfolk State

Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports activities

O’Quinn scored 26 factors and 14 boards in Norfolk State’s beautiful upset of No. 2 seed Missouri in 2012. He performed eight seasons within the NBA with the Magic, Knicks, Pacers, and 76ers and has been enjoying in Turkey, France and Japan. As a member of the Knicks, he made common appearances to bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs to socialize, shoot selfies and be the lifetime of the get together.

 

16 of 25

Kevin Pittsnogle, West Virginia

Kevin Pittsnogle, West Virginia

John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports activities

Pittsnogle gained nationwide consideration after main the Mountaineers to a miracle run by means of the 2005 event. He went undrafted and spent a couple of years within the CBA and the D-League in addition to on the semi-pro circuit. Pittsnogle has returned to his West Virginia hometown to change into a automobile supplier and work as a particular training instructor, a coach and an assistant principal.

 

17 of 25

Rumeal Robinson, Michigan

Rumeal Robinson, Michigan

Steve Eichner/Getty Photographs

Robinson helped lead the Wolverines to a nationwide title in 1989 and performed six seasons within the NBA. His life has taken a flip since. In 2010 Robinson was convicted on 11 counts of financial institution bribery, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud, and different prices. He was attempting to begin a improvement enterprise and bought into some shady practices to safe funding. He was launched from jail in 2016 after serving greater than six years.

 

18 of 25

God Shammgod, Windfall

God Shammgod, Providence

Ryan Pyle/Corbis through Getty Photographs

Shammgod vaulted into the hoops tradition due to his recreation (that crossover!) in addition to his title. He was an enormous a part of the Friars’ 1997 Elite Eight run. After a quick stint with the Wizards, he went on to a protracted profession abroad, primarily in China. He has now discovered a profession in teaching, first again at his alma mater and with the NBA’s Mavericks.

Shammgod was featured within the documentary “NYC Level Gods.”

 

19 of 25

Miles Simon, Arizona

Miles Simon, Arizona

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports activities

Simon, the MOP of the 1997 Arizona Wildcats title group, performed simply 5 video games within the NBA earlier than enjoying a few seasons abroad. He bought into teaching as an assistant for Lute Olson at Arizona and labored as an analyst for ESPN earlier than taking over numerous roles for USA Basketball. Simon was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers for 5 years and is now the top coach of the Lakers’ G-League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. 

 

20 of 25

Keith Sensible, Indiana

Keith Smart, Indiana

Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports activities

Sensible is finest identified for hitting the game-winning shot to beat Syracuse within the 1987 NCAA championship recreation. After simply 12 minutes of NBA motion, Sensible bounced round international and home leagues earlier than moving into teaching. He was a head coach for the Cavaliers (interim), Warriors and Kings, compiling a 93-170 file. He was lately an assistant coach for the New York Knicks and is at the moment an assistant coach for the Arkansas Razorbacks.

 

21 of 25

T.J. Sorrentine, Vermont

T.J. Sorrentine, Vermont

BRIAN JENKINS/for the Free Press, Burlington Free Press through Imagn Content material Companies, LLC

Sorrentine’s large three-pointer in additional time helped Vermont topple No. Four Syracuse within the 2005 NCAA Event. Sorrentine and Taylor Coppenrath ushered in probably the most profitable run in Vermont hoops historical past. He bounced round Europe and the NBA D-League earlier than settling into teaching. Presently, he’s the affiliate head coach at Brown College.

 

22 of 25

Scotty Thurman, Arkansas

Scotty Thurman, Arkansas

Wesley Hitt/Getty Photographs

Thurman’s shot to shut out the 1994 nationwide championship is famous amongst Arkansas followers … and Duke haters. He spent a decade enjoying basketball abroad or in fledgling American leagues. In 2016, he would return to his alma mater to change into an assistant for the Razorbacks. He’s at the moment the top coach at Little Rock Parkview Excessive Faculty in Arkansas.

 

23 of 25

Thomas Walkup, Stephen F. Austin

Thomas Walkup, Stephen F. Austin

Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports activities

The brash participant with the distinctive look caught the nation’s eye in 2016 when his Lumberjacks toppled West Virginia within the event and despatched a scare into Notre Dame earlier than falling by some extent. Walkup dumped 33 factors on West Virginia and confirmed the world how robust he was within the paint regardless of being simply 6’4″. After not catching on within the NBA, he’s at the moment enjoying in Greece and the EuroLeague.

 

24 of 25

Kevin Ware, Louisville

Kevin Ware, Louisville

Jim Owens/Icon Sportswire

Ware is finest identified for struggling probably the most ugly in-game accidents in reminiscence. Towards Duke within the 2013 NCAA event, Ware suffered a damaged leg which was seen to everybody on the courtroom and folks within the stands. Louisville would go on to win the nationwide championship. After redshirting the next 12 months, Ware transferred to Georgia State and named the 2015 Solar Belt Convention event MVP. Georgia State would upset Third-seeded Baylor within the NCAA Event (the sport the place injured head coach Ron Hunter fell off his stool). As an expert, Ware has bounced round abroad, enjoying within the Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Canada, England, Iraq and most lately, Argentina.

 

25 of 25

Donald Williams, North Carolina

Donald Williams, North Carolina

Doug Pensinger/Getty Photographs

On a group crammed with stars, it was Donald Williams’ clean taking pictures that helped North Carolina down the Fab 5 for the 1993 NCAA championship. Williams completed off the remainder of his Carolina profession (which included a visit to the 1995 Remaining 4) earlier than embarking on a profession in Europe. At the moment, he’s the ladies’s basketball coach at Wakefield Excessive Faculty in Raleigh, NC. 





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