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Kris Jenkins’s buzzer-beater for Villanova changed his life forever Kris Jenkins’s buzzer-beater for Villanova changed his life forever
(1 day later)
The adrenaline finally began to wear off for Kris Jenkins on Wednesday, two days after he made what many have called college basketball’s biggest shot. The adrenaline finally began to wear off for Kris Jenkins on Wednesday, two days after he made what many have called college basketball history’s biggest shot.
“This is going to be a big night for me because I think I can finally get some sleep,” the Villanova swingman and former All-Met Player of the Year at Gonzaga said during his umpteenth phone interview Wednesday. “But I’m loving every minute of it. It’s been fun, joyful and humbling.”“This is going to be a big night for me because I think I can finally get some sleep,” the Villanova swingman and former All-Met Player of the Year at Gonzaga said during his umpteenth phone interview Wednesday. “But I’m loving every minute of it. It’s been fun, joyful and humbling.”
When Jenkins’s three-pointer beat the clock Monday night in Houston, dramatically lifting the Wildcats to a 77-74 win over North Carolina for the NCAA tournament championship, his time became everyone else’s. National talk shows including “CBS This Morning” and ESPN’s “Mike & Mike” wanted a piece of Jenkins. So did Villanova’s student body, the bulk of which seemingly stopped the junior at every step for a picture, autograph or brief chat as he walked to class. When Jenkins’s three-pointer beat the clock Monday night in Houston, dramatically lifting the Wildcats to a 77-74 win over North Carolina for the NCAA tournament championship, his time became everyone else’s. National talk shows, including “CBS This Morning” and ESPN’s “Mike & Mike,” wanted a piece of Jenkins. So did Villanova’s student body, the bulk of which seemingly stopped the junior at every step for a picture, autograph or brief chat as he walked to class.
President Barack Obama even joined the congratulatory procession, relaying a message to Jenkins through Villanova Coach Jay Wright. President Obama even joined the congratulatory procession, relaying a message to Jenkins through Villanova Coach Jay Wright.
“Tell Jenkins he looked pretty cool out there taking that shot,” Obama noted during a congratulatory phone call to Wright on Wednesday. “Tell Jenkins he looked pretty cool out there taking that shot,” Obama noted during a congratulatory phone call Wednesday.
[Jenkins hits buzzer-beating three to lift Villanova to title][Jenkins hits buzzer-beating three to lift Villanova to title]
Like every wide-eyed youth basketball player, that shot was one that Jenkins had acted out since he was a chubby kid with a soft touch. After practicing bank shots with his mother, Felicia, who coached women’s college basketball, and footwork drills with his adoptive father, Nate Britt Sr., he would play out the scenario in his mind — the clock winding down and the ball in his hands. As with every other wide-eyed youth basketball player, that shot was one that Jenkins had acted out since he was a chubby kid with a soft touch. After practicing bank shots with his mother, Felicia, who coached women’s college basketball, and footwork drills with his adoptive father, Nate Britt Sr., he would play out the scenario in his mind — the clock winding down and the ball in his hands.
Five . . . four . . .Five . . . four . . .
“Anticipate the defense and remain aware,” he would think.“Anticipate the defense and remain aware,” he would think.
Three. . . two . . .Three. . . two . . .
“Stay steady in your routine as a shooter to get a good look.”“Stay steady in your routine as a shooter to get a good look.”
One. . .One. . .
“One-two step and it’s good.”“One-two step and it’s good.”
“You think about those moments and you know it can happen,” Jenkins said. “But at the same time, you don’t think it ever will. That’s why I’m still in shock.”“You think about those moments and you know it can happen,” Jenkins said. “But at the same time, you don’t think it ever will. That’s why I’m still in shock.”
He’s tweeted as much on three separate occasions, fanning the social media flames that continue to inundate his timeline and phone with hundreds of messages. Among them were Michigan Fab Five member Jalen Rose and former Duke star Christian Laettner, who conceded in a tweet early Tuesday that he was “passing the crown” for the NCAA tournament’s most iconic buzzer-beater to Jenkins. He’s tweeted as much on three separate occasions, fanning the social-media flames that continue to inundate his timeline and phone with hundreds of messages. Among them were Michigan Fab Five member Jalen Rose and former Duke star Christian Laettner, who conceded in a tweet early Tuesday that he was “passing the crown” to Jenkins for the NCAA tournament’s most iconic buzzer-beater.
Several texts also came from Jenkins’s adoptive brother, North Carolina guard Nate Britt II, who finished on the wrong end of Monday’s thriller. The Britts legally adopted Jenkins in 2007 after his mother saw Jenkins going down the wrong path as a kid in South Carolina. And as the brothers talked in the wee morning hours after the game, Jenkins, always the jokester, made sure to remind Britt of the score following their first official on-court matchup.Several texts also came from Jenkins’s adoptive brother, North Carolina guard Nate Britt II, who finished on the wrong end of Monday’s thriller. The Britts legally adopted Jenkins in 2007 after his mother saw Jenkins going down the wrong path as a kid in South Carolina. And as the brothers talked in the wee morning hours after the game, Jenkins, always the jokester, made sure to remind Britt of the score following their first official on-court matchup.
“Everybody was asking me, ‘How’s Nate? How’s Nate?’ ” Britt Sr. said. “What people forget is that’s his brother. So at the end of the day, he’s still happy for Kris. If you can have both your kids experience something of that magnitude, it’s a blessing.”“Everybody was asking me, ‘How’s Nate? How’s Nate?’ ” Britt Sr. said. “What people forget is that’s his brother. So at the end of the day, he’s still happy for Kris. If you can have both your kids experience something of that magnitude, it’s a blessing.”
Indeed, Jenkins, who earned the nickname “Big Ticket” for his clutch shots at Gonzaga, readily admits his life will never be the same. Since Monday, the only respite from his newfound celebrity status came about four hours after his magical shot, when he and Felicia went to a sparsely populated IHOP restuarant in Houston around 3 a.m. Indeed, Jenkins, who earned the nickname “Big Ticket” for his clutch shots at Gonzaga, knows his life will never be the same. Since Monday, the only respite from his newfound celebrity status came about four hours after his magical shot, when he and Felicia went to a sparsely populated IHOP restuarant in Houston around 3 a.m.
At the table, mother and son kept coming back to the process. It’s a journey Jenkins trusted when he went to live with the Britts in Maryland, relegating her maternal connection to phone calls, letters and text messages. It’s also one he never wavered from during his first two years at Villanova, when the then-280-pounder was dogged by conditioning issues and stuck on the bench. At the table, mother and son kept coming back to the process. It’s one Jenkins trusted when he went to live with the Britts in Maryland, relegating her maternal connection to phone calls, letters and text messages. It’s also one from which he never wavered during his first two years at Villanova, when he was often dogged by conditioning issues and stuck on the bench.
“I know Kris wanted to play more as a freshman and he could have transferred,” said Josh Hart, his teammate at Villanova and a fellow former All-Met at Sidwell Friends. “But he stuck it out. He’s the type of guy that, even if he had scored two points in five minutes Monday, he would be happy, as long as we won. All of this couldn’t have happened to a better guy.” “I know Kris wanted to play more as a freshman and he could have transferred,” said Josh Hart, his teammate at Villanova and a former All-Met himself at Sidwell Friends. “But he stuck it out. He’s the type of guy that even if he had scored two points in five minutes Monday, he would be happy, as long as we won. All of this couldn’t have happened to a better guy.”
And in Monday’s game, the exercise in humility culminated when Jenkins, the last option in Villanova’s offensive set on that final play, ultimately became the first in a moment that will forever define the madness of March and April.And in Monday’s game, the exercise in humility culminated when Jenkins, the last option in Villanova’s offensive set on that final play, ultimately became the first in a moment that will forever define the madness of March and April.
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