Josh Hart Critiques Analytics With Jay Wright’s One-Liner

Villanova product Josh Hart dropped 26 points in the New York Knicks’ Game 2 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday, May 21. Speaking with the media in a postgame interview, he gave a contentious quote on the importance of analytics in sports — one he learned from his hall of fame head coach with the Wildcats, Jay Wright.

“I’m never a huge analytics guy… they’re a lamp post to a drunk person,” Hart said. “You can lean on it, but it won’t get you home. So at a certain point, you’ve gotta have a good feel for the game.”

Hart’s analogy drew an eye-roll from Knicks’ teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, also taking part in the interview session. He then broke out of the deadpan, revealing where he learned the quote.

“I’m not gonna lie, that was Jerald Wright. His quote,” Hart said, using his former head coach’s government name for comedic effect. “Shoutout Jay Wright.”

Towns, who attended Kentucky and learned from head coach John Calipari, pushed back on Hart’s assertion, noting how the Bluegrass State’s Wildcats focused on analytics.

“I was with Cal, so I ain’t hear that,” Towns said.

“You ain’t even go to college!” Hart fired back, whether a reference to Towns’ going one-and-done with Kentucky or a shot at their academic standards.

The debate over analytics has raged for years and won’t end overnight… but to Wright and Hart’s credit, they won a championship at Villanova; Towns and Kentucky washed out in the 2015 Final Four.