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How long has the ncaa basketball tournament been around


A History of the NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament

It is a looking glass for human hope, excellence and positive social change. It is, in short, a microcosm of the human existence, with all of its exuberance, tragedy and triumph.

The excitement and tradition of "March Madness" as we know it today has been shaped by many significant events in NCAA tournament history: The first NCAA men's basketball tournament was held in 1939 with the first championship game held at Northwestern on March 27, 1939. Only eight teams competed in two regions. Oregon defeated Ohio State in the championship, and the West region held a third-place game.

Although the NCAA tournament now determines the national champion, that was not always the case. Until the 1950's, the NIT was considered a more prestigious tournament than the NCAA, and teams often chose to enter the NIT and bypass the NCAA tourney. Because of this dichotomy, two of the best centers of the 1940's never met in an NCAA tourney.   George Mikan's DePaul team traditionally entered the NIT, while Bob Kurland's Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) won two NCAA titles. Several schools entered both tournaments. One such team, City College of New York (CCNY) led by Irwin Dambrot, won both in 1950. Ironically, CCNY defeated Bradley University in the finals of both tournaments. Another school, Utah in 1944, entered the NIT, lost in the first round, and then went on to win the NCAA title. Kentucky pulled off a similar accomplishment in 1949, losing in the second round of the NIT and then going on to win the NCAA Tournament.

In 1941, the East region added a third-place game into the schedule, and in 1946, a national third-place game was held for the first time; the game would be a fixture until 1980. In 1951, the tournament expanded to 16 teams, and in 1952, Seattle was the site of the first true "Final Four," with both semifinal games and the championship game in one city. It was 1956 when the tournament was divided into four regions. Some of the most astounding and telling events in college basketball were to follow: North Carolina defeated Wilt Chamberlain and Kansas 54-53 in three overtimes to win the title in 1957. The legend of dominance emerged in 1962 when John Wooden's UCLA team makes the first of 13 Final Four appearances over the next 15 seasons.

Reflecting the race and civil rights issues of the time, Loyola (Illinois) was matched up with Mississippi State in a 1963 men's basketball tournament regional semifinal. Mississippi State, an all-white team, fled the town in the middle of the night despite protests from the governor and state police of Mississippi to play a Loyola team that features four black starters. Mississippi State overcame an unwritten Mississippi rule against playing integrated teams with a cloak-and-dagger flight to the North just one step ahead of a court injunction. Triumphantly, Loyola beat Mississippi State and went on to win the title. In 1966, Texas Western (now UTEP), with an all-black starting five, defeats an all-white Kentucky team to win the national title.

In 1973, with the championship game held on Monday night for the first time, UCLA behind Bill Walton's 44 points on 21 of 22 shooting, won its seventh straight championship, defeating Memphis State. NC State, led by David Thompson, ends UCLA's title run in 1974, defeating the Bruins in the national semifinals in double overtime.

The following year, the NCAA tournament expanded to 32 teams, and then allowed more than one school from each conference to participate. Prior to this ruling, the restriction prevented several great teams from competing in the tournament, including the 1974 Maryland team. They finished the season nationally ranked #4, yet lost the ACC Conference final game to top-ranked NC State prior to the start of the tournament. After that, the NCAA began to allow more than one team per conference to participate. In 1976, Bobby Knight's Indiana Hoosier squad completed an undefeated season with a victory over Michigan in the championship game.  The Hoosiers are the last team to go undefeated and win the title.

The tournament expanded to 40 teams in 1979, and teams were seeded for the first time.  "Magic" Earvin Johnson leads Michigan State over Larry Bird and Indiana State to win the national championship.  The game drew the attention of millions throughout the country; its 24.1 TV rating remains the highest ever for a college basketball game and is still considered one of the greatest match-ups in NCAA Tournament history.

Expansion followed in 1980 to 48 teams, and then in 1983, to 53 teams.  In what many believe is the greatest Cinderella story in college basketball, North Carolina State's Lorenzo Charles dunks the ball as time expires in the 1983 championship game to lead the Wolfpack to a 54-52 win over heavily favored Akeem Olajuwon and Houston. Perhaps no one figure in college basketball history more personified the spirit of March Madness than Coach Jim Valvano. His underdog North Carolina State Wolfpack did what many consider a miracle by making an incredible run through the 1983 Tournament. Culminating in the defeat of the highly touted "Phi Slamma Jamma" squad from the University of Houston, Valvano was rocketed into the media limelight and quickly became the symbol of exuberance and enthusiasm. He discovered soon afterward that he had bone cancer, and for a short time became a commentator for college basketball. Before his death at age 47, he was named the recipient of the Arthur Ashe award for courage at the first ESPN ESPY awards. It was at this time he announced the formation of the V Foundation for cancer research.

In 1985 the tournament expanded to 64 teams.  A Villanova Wildcat team shot a 22 for 28 field goal percentage to defeat Patrick Ewing and defending champion Georgetown in the championship game. Villanova remains the lowest seed (#8) to win the championship. In 1991, Duke upset undefeated UNLV in the semifinals and went on to win the national championship. In 1997, Arizona, led by Mike Bibby, Jason Terry and Miles Simon, becomes the first school to defeat three #1 seeds en route to the national championship, winning against Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky.

The NCAA Tournament's popularity has grown to rival that of the World Series, the Olympics and the Super Bowl. CBS Sports in 1999 negotiated an 11-year, $6 billion agreement for television, radio, Internet, corporate marketing, licensing, publishing, home video and Hoop City rights for the Division I men's basketball championship.

In 2002, the NCAA tournament committee developed a "pod" system for the first and second rounds.  The system allows the top four seeds to play at a site as close to home as possible, without regard to the school's tournament region. In that year's tournament, Maryland became the first school to defeat five former national champions on their way to win their first title. In 2004, the regions became known by the regional final's host city instead of by their geographic names. The Final Four match-ups were set by committee prior to the tournament instead of on a rotating basis.  Connecticut, behind center Emeka Okafor, won its second title in six seasons. Last year, 2005, Roy William's North Carolina Tar Heels led by Sean May, held off the Fighting Illini to win the title game by a final score of 75-70.aAdversity, tragedy, and ultimate triumph; the downtrodden and beleaguered emerge through the journey as champions. The drama of hope intensified to euphoria, only to be dashed on the rocks of defeat in the ultimate test of poise and determination. The human experience in all its excellence and all its failures. Yes, this Tournament has it all.

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Top Questions

What is March Madness?

March Madness is an informal term that refers to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men’s and women’s basketball championship tournaments that begin each March and consist of fields of 64 (for the women’s) and 68 (for the men’s) teams.

How are March Madness teams selected?

In March Madness, the single-elimination tournaments begin each March and consist of fields of women’s and men’s teams that qualify either by winning their conference title or by being chosen as an at-large entry by the National Collegiate Athletic Association's selection committee.

When was the first March Madness tournament?

The first men’s tournament of what eventually became known as March Madness was held in 1939. The NCAA tournament gradually began to draw top teams and more television revenue over the next two decades. The first women’s tournament was a 32-team event held in 1982.

March Madness, informal term that refers to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men’s and women’s basketball championship tournaments and the attendant fan interest in—and media coverage of—the events. The single-elimination tournaments begin each March and consist of fields of 64 (for the women’s tournament) and 68 (for the men’s) teams that qualify either by winning their conference title or by being chosen as an at-large entry by the NCAA’s selection committee.

The first men’s tournament was held in 1939, but it was overshadowed for most of the first two decades of its existence by the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), which was considered more prestigious and usually featured the best teams in the country. The NCAA tournament gradually began to draw the top teams and more television revenue, and, by the time the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), began its record run of seven consecutive titles in 1967, the tournament was firmly established as the premier college basketball postseason championship series in the United States. The size of the tournament field increased incrementally from 8 teams in 1939 to 64 teams in 1985. A 65th team and corresponding “play-in game” were added in 2001, when a new conference with an automatically qualifying champion was created and the NCAA did not want to lower the number of high-profile at-large schools it could invite to the tournament. In 2011 the NCAA added three additional opening-round games to the field, bringing the field to 68 teams. The first women’s tournament was a 32-team event held in 1982, and it expanded to its current field of 64 in 1994.

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The men’s tournament format (not including the play-in games) consists of four subsets known as regions, each of which contains 16 teams that are seeded number 1 to number 16 by the selection committee and then matched up according to seed, with the number 1 seed playing number 16, number 2 playing number 15, and so on. (The selection committee generally comprises university athletic directors and conference commissioners.) Two of the four first-round games pit the four lowest-seeded teams (often the champions of the smallest conferences in the NCAA) against each other to determine two of the 16 seeds, while the other two first-round games feature the final four at-large teams, which are traditionally 11 or 12 seeds. The second- and third-round games take place later in the first week of the tournament at eight geographically dispersed sites, and the 16 teams that move on to the second week (having won both their second- and third-round games) are referred to as the “Sweet Sixteen.” These remaining teams then proceed to four regional sites and are further winnowed to an “Elite Eight” and a “Final Four,” the last of which advances to yet another location for the national semifinals and finals in the third week of the competion. The sizable field often produces pairings of large schools from highly regarded conferences with smaller automatic qualifiers that may result in first-round upsets, which can then lead to underdog teams (known as “Cinderellas”) advancing far in the tournament.

It is a common practice for fans to fill out tournament brackets with their predictions before the event begins and to enter their brackets into office pools (or on the Internet) with friends and coworkers. Studies have shown that American workers become less productive during March Madness, as large numbers of basketball fans frequently monitor the status of their brackets or discuss the tournament (or even watch the games) while on the job.

Winners of the men’s and women’s NCAA Division 1 basketball tournaments are provided in the tables.

Division I National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship—women
year winner runner-up score
*Tournament canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
1982 Louisiana Tech Cheney (Pa.) 76–62
1983 Southern California Louisiana Tech 69–67
1984 Southern California Tennessee 72–61
1985 Old Dominion Georgia 70–65
1986 Texas Southern California 97–81
1987 Tennessee Louisiana Tech 67–44
1988 Louisiana Tech Auburn 56–54
1989 Tennessee Auburn 76–60
1990 Stanford Auburn 88–81
1991 Tennessee Virginia 70–67
1992 Stanford Western Kentucky 78–62
1993 Texas Tech Ohio State 84–82
1994 North Carolina Louisiana Tech 60–59
1995 Connecticut Tennessee 70–64
1996 Tennessee Georgia 83–65
1997 Tennessee Old Dominion 68–59
1998 Tennessee Louisiana Tech 93–75
1999 Purdue Duke 62–45
2000 Connecticut Tennessee 71–52
2001 Notre Dame Purdue 68–66
2002 Connecticut Oklahoma 82–70
2003 Connecticut Tennessee 73–68
2004 Connecticut Tennessee 70–61
2005 Baylor Michigan State 84–62
2006 Maryland Duke 78–75
2007 Tennessee Rutgers 59–46
2008 Tennessee Stanford 64–48
2009 Connecticut Louisville 76–54
2010 Connecticut Stanford 53–47
2011 Texas A&M Notre Dame 76–70
2012 Baylor Notre Dame 80–61
2013 Connecticut Louisville 93–60
2014 Connecticut Notre Dame 79–58
2015 Connecticut Notre Dame 63–53
2016 Connecticut Syracuse 82–51
2017 South Carolina Mississippi State 67–55
2018 Notre Dame Mississippi State 61–58
2019 Baylor Notre Dame 82–81
2020 not held*
2021 Stanford Arizona 54–53
2022 South Carolina Connecticut 64–49

Division I National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship—men
year winner runner-up score
*Louisville's title was vacated in 2018 because of rules violations committed between 2011 and 2015.
**Tournament canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
1939 Oregon Ohio State 46–43
1940 Indiana Kansas 60–42
1941 Wisconsin Washington State 39–34
1942 Stanford Dartmouth 53–38
1943 Wyoming Georgetown 46–34
1944 Utah Dartmouth 42–40
1945 Oklahoma A&M New York 49–45
1946 Oklahoma A&M North Carolina 43–40
1947 Holy Cross Oklahoma 58–47
1948 Kentucky Baylor 58–42
1949 Kentucky Oklahoma State 46–36
1950 CCNY Bradley 71–68
1951 Kentucky Kansas State 68–58
1952 Kansas St. John's (N.Y.) 80–63
1953 Indiana Kansas 69–68
1954 La Salle Bradley 92–76
1955 San Francisco La Salle 77–63
1956 San Francisco Iowa 83–71
1957 North Carolina Kansas 54–53
1958 Kentucky Seattle 84–72
1959 California (Berkeley) West Virginia 71–70
1960 Ohio State California (Berkeley) 75–55
1961 Cincinnati Ohio State 70–65
1962 Cincinnati Ohio State 71–59
1963 Loyola (Ill. ) Cincinnati 60–58
1964 UCLA Duke 98–83
1965 UCLA Michigan 91–80
1966 Texas Western Kentucky 72–65
1967 UCLA Dayton 79–64
1968 UCLA North Carolina 78–55
1969 UCLA Purdue 92–72
1970 UCLA Jacksonville 80–69
1971 UCLA Villanova 68–62
1972 UCLA Florida State 81–76
1973 UCLA Memphis State 87–66
1974 North Carolina State Marquette 76–64
1975 UCLA Kentucky 92–85
1976 Indiana Michigan 86–68
1977 Marquette North Carolina 67–59
1978 Kentucky Duke 94–88
1979 Michigan State Indiana State 75–64
1980 Louisville UCLA 59–54
1981 Indiana North Carolina 63–50
1982 North Carolina Georgetown 63–62
1983 North Carolina State Houston 54–52
1984 Georgetown Houston 84–75
1985 Villanova Georgetown 66–64
1986 Louisville Duke 72–69
1987 Indiana Syracuse 74–73
1988 Kansas Oklahoma 83–79
1989 Michigan Seton Hall 80–79
1990 UNLV Duke 103–73
1991 Duke Kansas 72–65
1992 Duke Michigan 71–51
1993 North Carolina Michigan 77–71
1994 Arkansas Duke 76–72
1995 UCLA Arkansas 89–78
1996 Kentucky Syracuse 76–67
1997 Arizona Kentucky 84–79
1998 Kentucky Utah 78–69
1999 Connecticut Duke 77–74
2000 Michigan State Florida 89–76
2001 Duke Arizona 82–72
2002 Maryland Indiana 64–52
2003 Syracuse Kansas 81–78
2004 Connecticut Georgia Tech 82–73
2005 North Carolina Illinois 75–70
2006 Florida UCLA 73–57
2007 Florida Ohio State 84–75
2008 Kansas Memphis 75–68
2009 North Carolina Michigan State 89–72
2010 Duke Butler 61–59
2011 Connecticut Butler 53–41
2012 Kentucky Kansas 67–59
2013 Louisville* Michigan 82–76
2014 Connecticut Kentucky 60–54
2015 Duke Wisconsin 68–63
2016 Villanova North Carolina 77–74
2017 North Carolina Gonzaga 71–65
2018 Villanova Michigan 79–62
2019 Virginia Texas Tech 85–77
2020 not held**
2021 Baylor Gonzaga 86–70
2022 Kansas North Carolina 72–69

Adam Augustyn

“If we had 12 people aged 18-20 playing in VTB now, then someone would definitely go to the NBA” plays somewhere in America and is considered almost the most talented player born in 1999.

And this season, we were surprised to see Daniil Kasatkin in Superleague-1 in the farm of Khimki near Moscow. We scoured the Internet, found some information and decided that Daniil, like no one else, is suitable for an analytical interview from the category of “everything about everything”. As they say, it's nice to talk to a smart person, so we share with you - so, what did he tell us about:

Why the Superleague is a great tournament and how important it is in the basketball life of a young player
Why Daniil ended up in Khimki and how the farm club is better than the men's team
Why private sport in America is great and is it possible in Russia
Why do people think the NCAA is better than the NBA
? Why Russian guys don't make it to the draft and why it's even easier for Europeans in this draft
And a lot more about our basketball, America, and even a little about the “curse” of the U20 team
Daniil Kasatkin with

You were on the Pennsylvania State team playing in the NCAA sometime early last summer. And in 2019, you have already found yourself in Khimki-Podmoskovye. Why are you playing in the Superleague now?

It is normal for a player to get some playing time in their first year at a prestigious university like Penn State. The university now pays for my online education, and in addition I get playing practice in a good League while playing closer to home. Therefore, it can be considered that I "killed two birds with one stone."

Is that possible?

Yes, because the university is not a professional organization, I did not have a contract with it, I did not receive money. So I can play here and study there.

Why Khimki-Podmoskovye? Were there any offers from Europe, after all you did well in the USA

There were enough offers, but I wanted to return home closer to friends and family. At the same time, Khimki provides me with everything I need to grow and progress. After weighing all the pros and cons, I decided that Khimki suits me the most.

In one of your interviews you spoke about your longing for home. .. Can you say that's why you returned to play in your homeland?

When I chose the club it was something like this: on one side is the mind, on the other is the spiritual component. I had to soberly evaluate everything with my mind, without thinking about how I would feel in the new club. And "Khimki-Podmoskovye" approached all the criteria best of all. It was a decision from the head, and the rest was a nice bonus.

Were there any other offers from the Superleague?

Were. But I opted for the Khimki-Podmoskovye team and I don't regret it.

Judging by your statistics, although you haven't played many matches yet, your adaptation in Khimki is quite successful. What can you say about your new team and head coach?

We have a young team that plays against experienced men. I left for America at the age of 17, that is, from DUBL and returned just now. Of course, compared to America, the style of play is completely different and opposite. But I think I'm doing pretty well and I hope to continue. I like everything, we have a lot of freedom on the site. I haven't had that for a long time, given that I didn't play much last season. I am also very pleased to again feel the possibility of making mistakes in the game. All of our guys are ambitious. And Oleg Nikolaevich Rezvy is an excellent coach.

Tell me more about the different styles of play

In the NCAA, it's 30 seconds per possession, not 24. It has a huge impact on the game. Even if you look at the video from the NCAA, from the Super League or from another European League, you will see completely different schemes. Well, everyone says that in America there is more emphasis on individual play, more isolation, it's true. We still have a predominantly team game. At the World Championships, it was clearly visible that there are pluses both there and there. Yes, the Americans are strong individually, but they can face a well-organized team and lose.

Did different playing styles give you problems in matches?

I've always considered myself to be a fairly thoughtful player, so I followed various basketball trends. I have many familiar coaches and players, so I could learn something from them. But, of course, styles are different, so it takes some time to adjust.

Do you think it's good that Khimki is a young team or would it be better to work together with experienced men?

Depends on the situation. You can’t just divide the teams into “men” and “farm clubs”. When a club is interested in developing a player and provides an opportunity to train on a regular basis with the VTB League team, this is interesting. If I can show myself well here, then Khimki will be a good springboard for me into the future.

Didn't you have an idea that Khimki has a rather diverse squad, so you'll have to sit on the bench here too?

I try to be as confident as possible. You know, I went to America very ambitiously and went to play in one of the most prestigious universities, not really afraid of competition. Or he could stay in Russia. Therefore, I did not have any such thoughts. I'm always determined to win my time by playing.

Daniil Kasatkin in

As it turned out, you play second in Khimki, although you used to play first. Is it possible to say that high point guards do not quite fit the Superleague, or does the coach just want to see you in a different position?

Probably both. Each coach has his own philosophy - someone needs a fast first, and someone needs a high one. In some teams, I played the first number, and in some even the fourth, given that I am two meters tall. If Oleg Nikolayevich wants to see the first in me, then I am always ready, but now I play the second or third. I don't have any problems with this.

What did you hear about the Superleague before you arrived?

That this is a very competitive League where any team can beat any. The Superleague is growing every year: more and more legionnaires are coming, the level of the game is rising, there are more fans. We can say that this tournament is one of the most interesting in Europe, if we consider the second Leagues.

What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of the Superleague (schedule, broadcasts, media coverage, etc.)?

Of the benefits, of course, is that young players can get practice with the "men" at a fairly early age. Young people play with those who have experience playing in the VTB United League, and it is in such games that growth and transition to the adult level take place.

In terms of coverage, the RFB does a good job, there are broadcasts from every game. Even in Europe it is not everywhere. I have friends in Poland and they don't have such broadcasts. It's great that the RFB has obliged all teams to shoot games. For example, it is very convenient for my parents to follow my performances. Of the minuses, probably, the reduction in the number of matches, this season the play-out games were removed. Of course, I would like to play more often, because the more game practice, the better.

Daniil Kasatkin

After playing in America, does the Superleague level come easily to you?

I would say that these are generally two different sports. It's easier for me here because I'm from here and I know how to play European basketball, I have more space here. Still there is no such emphasis on athleticism and physics. But I would not say that something is better, but something is worse. It's just a different kind of basketball.

You can't come from the NCAA and beat everyone in the Super League. Here in many teams there are one or two legionnaires who scored 20 points each in their student teams. The guys from the VTB League come here. Therefore, some players, even having the opportunity to go to VTB, prefer to stay in the Superleague, where they will have a leading position, sufficient playing time and a decent level of opponents.

Foreign players in the Superleague: are you for or against?

I definitely don't want to say "for" or "against". Legionnaires are different: some come only to earn statistics and then go to another country for a more profitable contract. Usually similar collaborations end in the middle of the season. Such players really take away the time of the Russian players.

But on the other hand, there are legionnaires who fit well into the team and try to pass on their style of play to young players. It's very helpful when a young guy has a teammate who has played at a high level. He knows a lot and is ready to share it. Therefore, I will not definitely say “for” or “against”, but I will only say that clubs need to be more attentive to the level of play and the moral qualities of foreigners.

Many coaches and players believe that the sooner a young guy plays for the "men", the more chances he has to open up. Do you agree with this opinion?

Yes, I absolutely agree with that. Now there are a lot of such examples: for example, Luka Doncic or Kristaps Porzingis - they started playing at the adult level at the age of 16-17. Our problem of transition from youth basketball to men's is just solved in this way: we need to send a young guy who is inferior in physics to train with the men. And he will have to get out, improve himself in order to somehow compete with them. So there is a transition from juniors to adult basketball players. I agree, the sooner the better.

Daniil Kasatkin in Khimki

Do farm clubs help in this regard?

Yes. We play with the same guys in games, but in training we work with players of our own age. This year, for example, we will have 30 good games with great teams that have done well. All this helps the young player.

Also, almost all Superleague coaches and players think that there are too few official matches in the season. How do you feel about such a schedule and how are things going with this in America?

The NCAA season runs from early November to late March. It is much shorter, but the intensity of the calendar is much higher. This has its pros and cons. In the Super League, on the one hand, such a schedule is not the worst, because we are young and it's good that we have a lot of time for training and the gym. Therefore, from this point of view, a 5-6 day break between matches is not so bad. On the other hand, the growth of the player occurs in the game. And it would be nice if there were a little more matches.

Why won't the Russian ASB (collegiate basketball association) analogue of the NCAA take root in Russia?

The NCAA is hugely popular and the League has huge television contracts that keep fans coming to the games. That year I played in student arenas with a capacity of 20 thousand, which were completely filled. When the audience has such a demand, then sponsors begin to connect. For example, at Penn State, there were conditions that not all Euroleague teams have, not to mention the ASB.

Basically, everything comes from the popularity of the sport. Of course, basketball in America is insanely popular, people are willing to pay for it. Until the interest in basketball itself develops across the country, it will be hard to come close to something like that.

Then explain what is so special about the NCAA that it is in such demand? This is, at least, not the first American League.

Many people believe that the NBA is not a real sport, but rather a show. There is no contact allowed, which is allowed in the NCAA. And people are interested in the Student League, because young guys play real basketball purely to get somewhere further. In such a game, runs and normal fouls are whistling, and not for every touch, as in the NBA.

Penn Sate Arena

Which is better: private sports in America or state sports in Russia?

Private sports in America. There are a lot of "donors" in the NCAA, and my university in particular, who invest in the university's programs. These "donors" either graduated from "Penn State" or are simply its fans. They invest money and know that they will go in the right direction.

Back in 2016, Vladimir Putin called for a reduction in the funding of professional sports from the budget. Is it possible and should the sport be completely private?

I agree that the sport should strive for the system that works in America. But in our reality it is very difficult to do this. So I think there should be government support like there is now, but clubs should also keep looking for private sponsors to be able to get better. Because if we remove public money, it will be quite difficult to find private sponsors who are interested in injecting big funds into basketball.

Name the main differences between American youth basketball and Russian.

The first thing that comes to mind is the number of people who play basketball. How it affects: the more people, the more competition. With us, at the age of 11, you can be the healthiest in the region, trample everyone at the Russian championship, while not working on your skills. And in America, at the age of 11, there are plenty of such healthy guys who want to play basketball in every city and in every state. And they push each other. They know that if they don't work, someone else will take their place. This is the most global difference.

If we take the game itself, then everyone has already said this. That all of us at the age of 13 drive "schemes" in training, and there there is an emphasis on individual skill and physical training. Many players come to the university without knowing anything about tactical basketball and only there at the age of 17-18 they are taught tactics and some basketball concepts. Before that, these guys only took the ball and beat everyone one on one. That is why the Americans, unclaimed in their homeland, can come to the conditional Super League and look good.

You were a student of CSKA, do you feel some kind of kinship with this club, or was it just a stage in your career?

I was a pupil of SDUSHOR CSKA. It is clear that as a child I went to the matches of Holden, Langdon, Smodis, because we were given tickets and I was rooting for them. But when you grow up, you understand that you will play for different clubs and there may be different life situations. As an example, Paul Pierce supported the Lakers as a child and hated Boston on principle. As a result, he played most of his career for Boston and became his legend. Therefore, with age, you already understand that in professional basketball such attachments are not very important, because everyone will change teams.

Daniil Kasatkin in Khimki

Leningradka Derby does it matter to you now?

Of course it does. I have Yuri Umrikhin playing in CSKA (smiles). I want to beat Yuri, and then tease him. This is always a good motivation for me. It is clear that when there are many friends and acquaintances in the other team, then there is such rivalry.

This year, Vanya Evstigneev was in the U20 team, who in that season of the VTB United Youth League, together with Khimki, beat CSKA in the final. And during the training camp, Vanya spoke only about this, annoying the guys from CSKA. Before that, he simply didn’t win anything, so for him it was just an outlet (laughs). I am, of course, saying this as a joke.

You were called a "Russian child prodigy" who, relatively speaking, could conquer America. Do you now, after returning to Russia, feel disappointed?

I'm trying not to be disappointed, but to look for some pluses in this. The experience I got in America is invaluable. A year to work on my shortcomings using the latest methods and technologies ... And now I am getting the education that I would have received there anyway, while playing my favorite game and being close to friends and family. It is clear that it would be great to play in the NCAA and become some kind of person there, but I'm trying to look for pluses and move on. I like my future as an educated person and as a basketball player. I don't see the point in regretting anything.

Who do you study for, if it's not a secret?

In America, there is such a system that until the end of the second year of study I am not obliged to choose a specialty. Right now I'm just collecting "loans" in different directions. For example, I choose any subjects that interest me in various fields - science, art, etc. Of course, I can already decide, but I'm still thinking.

Many Russian young guys have a real goal to go to the draft, but either they don't even get to America, or stay there for a short time. Is there a system in this, what is it connected with?

Yes, there is a system to it. It all comes from the same root. In order to be followed by NBA scouts, you need to get playing time at least at the level of the VTB United League. If you perform at a lower level, then most likely no one will find you and will not know about you. If we now had 12 people aged 18 to 20 running in VTB, getting about 15 minutes or more, then someone would shoot and go to the NBA, I have no doubt about it.

We have talents, we have great guys. But how can they prove themselves to scouts? Every year, five or six Europeans enter the first rounds of the draft: Musa, Kuruc, Sanon from Ukraine - they all left after seasons for professional clubs. Yes, mostly Europeans who go to America, before that, get time in clubs from serious Leagues.

As a person who has played in America, tell me, is it true that it is easier for Americans or just players who have gone through American schools/universities to find a team in the draft than for foreign guys who have never played in the American system?

Quite the contrary - getting into the NBA from the European League is much easier. Here's how it goes: In the second round of the draft, it's profitable for clubs to take Europeans because they don't take a spot on a 15-man roster, they don't have to pay, and they can be sent to develop in Europe, while still having rights to them. In the second round, someone worthy is rarely chosen, so the Europeans have a big advantage. I'm sure if they had gone through that NCAA meat grinder, few of them would have ended up in the same final spot without having the advantages I listed above.

Daniil Kasatkin Penn State

With the departure of Timofey Mozgov, there are no Russian players left in the NBA, why do you think our compatriots do not reach the best basketball league in the world?

They are really up to par. We have three or four players in Russia who have options with America every summer. But here they are the leaders of their teams, they get good money, there is no pressure on them and there is no struggle for a place in the squad. And I understand them - they play close to home, why go to the NBA, where everything is more difficult. Think you'll be fighting for a spot on a team and playing 82 matches in a foreign country. Moreover, you will most likely have to fight for 7-8 places in the roster, which receive a limited number of minutes and you can be “traided” to another city at any time, you will have to transport the whole family.

Well, I'll repeat myself, until the age of 18 we have guys who are watched by various scouts. But then these guys disappear somewhere between the ages of 18 and 22. And when they are given a chance and they still grow through all possible paths to the VTB United League, then they are already 25-26 years old and the NBA clubs are no longer so interesting.

Don't other adult European NBA players face the same problems you described?

Europeans who play in the NBA are very often players of a very high level indeed. They really play and get very good money, obviously more than they could get playing in Europe.

But Sergio Llull, for example, abandoned the NBA and stayed in Europe. Sergio Rodriguez went there, tried it, realized that it was not his at all. Rudy Fernandez too, and so on. I call the Spaniards for now, but still. They understand why they need to fight for some places in the lineup, when they can do what they love, while playing at home, next to family and friends.

Daniil Kasatkin in the Russian U18 team

Why do you think our U20 team can't reach Division A?

Need to think. We've been number four for three years in a row, right? Fourth place for three years in a row, so I can’t say that the reason lies on the surface. Every year we had to win one of two matches against not very strong opponents. When we lost this year, I thought it was some kind of curse, because we lost to the Belgians, who, to put it mildly, were too tough for us.

This year we really tried to do everything as well as possible. Many sacrificed their statistics, everyone supported each other. Even in the match for third place, where we lost to the Belgians, everyone fought and tried to get this game. I don’t know… Since the summer I’ve been trying to understand why this is happening: for three years in a row, fourth place and for three years in a row “on paper” there were chances to win.

Daniil Kasatkin in the national team

Let's talk a little about the main team: Sopin and Motovilov were called from the Superleague, and not conditional Matejunas and Glazunov, who will be stronger. In your opinion, does Sergei Bazarevich have some kind of coaching line aimed specifically at young guys?

Sergei Bazarevich also did not call Anton Ponkrashov, who is stronger than Glazunov and Matejunas, both on merit and on the game. It was not for nothing that they gathered a camp with young players and set the task of selecting people who would play for the national team. I think yes, there was some kind of coaching line and I respect Sergei Bazarevich very much for the fact that he decided on this and gave the young playing time. And Anton Glazunov is indeed one of the best point guards in the Super League for sure, and would look good in the VTB United League, in my opinion.

If all the main players of the national team are healthy, will Sergei Bazarevich give the young guys another chance or was it an isolated case solely due to injuries to the main players?

He will definitely give them a chance - I am sure that he will call them to the training camp. And I think that the RBF has indeed taken a course towards rejuvenating the national team, because all of our leaders are approaching or have exceeded 30 years. So it's probably right. But if the main players go and the task is to win, then it is not a fact that the young ones will be taken. However, they will have a chance, and they will have more confidence and more trust. I think that in a good competition they will be able to prove that they are stronger than some other players.

Do you think it's normal that players from the Second League are invited to the national team?

Why not? Grisha Motovilov and Andrey Sopin played in the leading positions in their clubs that year, at such a young age. Yes, they played in the League, which is inferior in terms of level, but the conditional Samara can easily compete with the lower part of the VTB League.

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ASB President Konovalov: "Basketball is a grateful sport in terms of spectator impact and popularity" becoming.


- Alexander Vladimirovich, from the moment of its appearance, the ASB was doomed to a not very pleasant comparison for us with the American Student Basketball League (NCAA) - about the same as in hockey this happens in relation to our KHL and overseas NHL. Doesn't it bother you?
– We made no secret from the beginning that the NCAA experience is a creative legacy for us that we would like to share and, if possible, increase. But there are far fewer opportunities for the development of student basketball in our country than in US universities. There, on the one hand, it is the basis of professional sports, on the other hand, it is a powerful layer of youth subculture. This mainly concerns the African American population, for whom basketball is sometimes the only way to get into college. The influx of players, the competition in the NCAA are huge, the excitement is enormous. After all, the best of those who, from infancy, threw the ring on the yard playgrounds, get here. Therefore, in terms of the quality of the game, it is difficult for us to compete with the Americans. But we were able to instill in our association some of the systemic elements of the NCAA. First of all, we are trying to build a "social lift", which should be basketball for students and applicants. Thanks to the Pro100basket project, we are ready to offer at least one hundred free places in Russian universities for the best school basketball players. This will give the guys a chance to play basketball at a serious level for at least the next five years - unless, of course, they don’t take time off and can combine sports and study. For young people, especially from the provinces, this is a real ticket to life, it will help young people to socialize in the future, if, of course, they take their studies seriously. I would like to emphasize that we are categorically opposed to the conflict between sports and studies. One of the indispensable conditions for the participation of students in competitions is full academic performance.

- However, it is no secret that the career of an athlete requires a lot of effort and full focus on training and competition. And in the same America, one can get into the category of "celestials" - professionals from the NBA only from the student basketball system. In Russia, about 20 people from your association are already playing in major league clubs. So what is the priority given to us - mass character or training of professionals?

– We have never hidden that the mass character of student basketball is more important for us. If an ASB player ends up in a professional club, this is, of course, a great joy for us. Moreover, I think that after some time such transitions will become regular, even if they will not take place on such a scale as in the USA, where the reserve training system is based on the transition of students to pros. But it is more important that basketball pull other sports that could be developed on the basis of a particular university, so that there is an interest in sports in general, and not just basketball. This is one of the goals of the ASB championship. In the same America, it is perfectly normal when a university student is a member of the national team in athletics, rowing, hockey ... They participate in the Olympiads, and not without success. But after studying, even Olympic medalists calmly quit sports and go to work in their specialty. The medal remains not only a good memory, but also gives huge bonuses in employment. And for all that, U.S. collegiate sports are not solely focused on baking champions like pies.

- The maintenance of student teams requires special attention from the university administration, additional costs. In this regard, do university rectors always have a favorable attitude towards the ASB championship?

- A question of time. On June 3, we plan to hold a meeting with the rectors of universities, which have been creating good conditions for basketball lessons for a number of years. There are many such educational institutions - about fifty. In our times, this indicator, you see, is not bad at all. We will not only thank the rectors for their cooperation, but also sign an agreement with them on the cultivation of basketball, in fact, we will create a pool of leading "basketball" universities. What will this give universities? First of all, participation in the Pro100basket program, which involves the training of players, managers and coaches in the US and Europe; the opportunity to receive material assistance for the equipment of gyms. I would like to emphasize that those who successfully combine their studies with sports, that is, they study “good” and “excellent”, will be able to receive good supplementary scholarships. Thus, we want to stimulate not only the acquisition of knowledge by student-athletes, but also the development of the university program with maximum success. This is just the first part of the bonus program. The second part involves assistance in attracting professional coaches to student teams. It is sometimes very difficult for universities to get a great specialist, and it is difficult to overestimate the role of good mentors. Therefore, we want to implement a grant program to pay extra for coaches working in the structure of student basketball.

– Will coaches be paid based on the team's performance?

– Not only. One of the key priorities is the number of students involved in basketball at the university. I note that in the same America, the position of a coach of a student basketball team is more attractive than the position of an NBA club mentor. Some varsity coaches have lifetime (!) contracts. They don’t want to give up such stability even for the sake of working in the best basketball league in the world.

– Will the development of university sports in general and basketball in particular be affected by the fact that from 2012 all public institutions, including many universities, will have to switch to full or partial self-financing?

- At last year's meeting of the Council for the Development of Physical Culture and Sports under the President of the Russian Federation, it was decided to develop legislative novelties that provide additional guarantees for the development of sports in universities. It is, as you know, not only about basketball. Universities should be able to use budget funding for the development of their own sports clubs - the relevant amendments to the Law "On Physical Culture and Sports in the Russian Federation" have already been prepared. This circumstance will be taken into account when working on a new law on education. All this gives hope that, despite the innovations provided for by the law on the reform of the network of budgetary organizations, state funding of sports in universities will not be stopped. In addition, it is possible to attract funds for student sports from extrabudgetary trust funds at universities. This is how it is done all over the world, and, in my opinion, this source of funding should eventually become the main one. Not only in Europe and the United States, but also in China, they have long understood that playing sports is not a whim, but an essential element of the competitiveness of a university.

– In your opinion, do they understand this in Russia too?

- I hope they begin to understand. Good conditions for sports are an additional factor that attracts applicants. In our country, against the backdrop of a demographic hole, the problem of student recruitment is very serious. It is obvious that young people today are turning towards sports, and universities cannot but take this fact into account.

- You are a supporter of what is called "pure" student basketball - so that outside pros are not attracted to it. However, last year, in one of the matches of the ASB championship, the famous Vasily Karasev, an ex-player of the Russian national team, appeared on the site at that moment he was studying at the university whose team played in this championship. How do you feel about this turn of events - formally the rules were not violated, but a professional (and what a professional!) played in the student team?

- I'm completely fine. The example of Vasily Karasev is generally very interesting. The man graduated from performances at the level of sports of the highest achievements, he wanted to continue his education at the university. In our opinion, nothing prevents him from playing his five seasons (this is the limit of performances for a player in ASB tournaments. - Approx. Aut.). With the help of professionals, the team is rallying, the skill of the players is growing - is that bad? And individuals like Karasev are living role models.

– Are there other professional players in the ASB teams who, like Vasily Karasyov, decided to study at a university and play student basketball at the same time?

- There is no such level as Karasev, but, for example, after the dissolution of the Perm Ural Great, many guys from this team went to study and ended up in university teams. But, however, they did not show high results, and Vasily Karasev's university lost in the final. So the passions about it subsided. Sport is a very tough thing, it puts everything in its place.

- In this regard, I'm interested in your opinion about the Universiade, which in fact became a competition for reserve teams, not students.

– Indeed, this tournament has turned into a “quasi-Olympiad”. The exception is the US team, where the preparation of the national team reserve is based on university teams. By the way, at the last Belgrade Summer Universiade, besides the Americans, only our basketball team was a team where real students played - according to an agreement with the Russian Basketball Federation of Russia, players from the ASB made up a third of the team's application. The guys did not go out to the court often, but for them it was a serious leap forward, an incentive to play further. My opinion is that today's Universiade format has become obsolete. We cannot change it at the international level, but the format of Russian Universiades is completely. Within these competitions, we can select participants honestly, that is, without involving professionals who are only formally registered in universities. Therefore, in our view, the Universiade in Russia should be held not at the beginning - in the middle of summer, when the examination session is underway, but in August - September. Then students will be able to calmly pass exams and have time to prepare for an important tournament.

– Now there is a lot of talk about the legal support of university sports. Does the ASB have its own developments and proposals in this regard?

- We have been working on this for a long time and have a large package of offers. To list everything, I think, it makes no sense. The main thing is that the country's leadership understands the importance of developing student sports. We are in close contact with the Ministry of Sports and Tourism, with the Russian Student Sports Union. All this makes us look to the future with optimism.

- After his election, the President of the Russian Football Union, Sergei Fursenko, named the development of student football as one of the priorities of the RFU. To you, to learn from the experience, he did not apply?

– We have already handed over to Sergei Alexandrovich almost all of our achievements accumulated by the association. The President of the RFU did not hide the fact that he wants to use our experience in football as well. To be honest, I think that the players will have more problems than we do. First of all, with the availability of infrastructure - fields, stadiums. But this example proves that the “social lift” structure adopted by Russian student basketball can be applied to other sports as well. It is important that the leadership of the universities create all the conditions, and most importantly, strive to ensure that not only gifted students, but also other students study in the sections.

- This year, some innovations have appeared in the ASB championship formula. Which?

- The main thing we have achieved in four years is consistency in the organization of the tournament and, as a result, its recognition. Previously, student teams gathered a number of times a year in certain places and identified the winner in several rounds. Teams now compete weekly from October to May. It is fundamentally important for us that the matches take place on weekends, this helps to avoid overlaps with the training process. For the third year in a row, since the beginning of March, the ASB playoffs have been held. This year, we decided to logically complete the formula - we abandoned the Final Eight format in favor of knockout games with traveling all the way to the Super Final. And they did not fail: the excitement is unprecedented, rectors, teachers, students - everyone is watching how their team played! I am sure that this interest will only grow from year to year.

- What competition could you compare the ASB championship with today?

- Of course, I would like to compare it with some very popular competition, where buses with support groups follow the players, their lives are of interest to numerous fans. Student basketball in Russia is still far from this, but there are sprouts of such interest: from year to year, the number of participants in online voting, which determines the composition of teams for the ASB All-Star Game, is growing - this year it has already taken place for the fourth time. In 2010, eight thousand people voted, and this figure seemed very solid to us. But this year, 50,000 people have already made their choice! Once again we were convinced that basketball is a grateful sport in terms of spectator feedback and popularity. Our championship is not similar to any competition in Russia. In terms of the breadth of geography, we probably have an unprecedented position among sports tournaments, although in terms of the quality of the game we, of course, fall short of the professional leagues. But what definitely distinguishes us from them is the extremely high efficiency of a fairly modest sponsorship budget. Due to it, competitions are ensured, in which more than 250 teams participate!

– How much is it?

- I'll put it this way: one season in the ASB, together with PR programs and the All-Star Game, in terms of expenses, approximately corresponds to the expenses for the season of one team of the Russian Major League - the second most important basketball tournament in Russia. We co-finance the organization of games during the regular season, help with travel expenses during the playoffs, when such routes as, for example, Kemerovo - Blagoveshchensk or Surgut - Saratov appear. In such cases, it is not easy for student teams to provide their trips. The Association also bears all the costs associated with refereeing. I want to emphasize that there are no legionnaires in the teams, there are no “setups”, that is, people who are far from the student environment. And even if the quality of basketball is still far from professional, but enthusiasm, drive, desire to play - all this is enough in abundance. This is the main result of the activity of the ASB today.

– May I ask you a provocative question?

- No problem.

– What needs to happen for you to say, “That's it, I'm leaving college basketball”?

- Everything that I told you about today. (Smiling.) I would like to ensure that at the university, if not in every one, but at least at 40 - 50, there are gyms where classes would go from morning to evening.

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