Jay Bilas, known for an extensive knowledge of men’s basketball and his insightful analysis about the entire sports industry, has agreed to an extension with ESPN through the 2022-23 men’s college basketball season, it was announced by John Wildhack, ESPN Executive Vice President, Production and Programming.
Bilas, who is featured on ESPN’s game and studio coverage, will call top men’s college basketball games involving the nation’s marquee teams and conferences and will be present at the Men’s Final Four through studio coverage, as well as game telecasts on ESPN International. Saturday’s will be busy for Bilas as he will add ESPN’s Saturday Primetime Presented by DIRECTV game-of-the-week assignment to his analyst role on the popular Saturday morning and evening college basketball program, College GameDay Covered by State Farm. He has been an analyst on the show that originates from the site of the Saturday Primetime telecast since its debut in 2005.
Bilas will contribute to several ESPN platforms, including ESPN.com and SportsCenter. His extension will keep him on ESPN’s coverage of the NBA Draft, where he has been providing in-depth player scouting and analysis since 2003.
“Jay Bilas is a tremendous contributor to ESPN in so many ways, and we are delighted to extend our relationship with him,” said Wildhack. “He is among a small group of commentators who transcend genres based on his ability to inform and educate sports fans, break down game action and articulate how and why things happen in college basketball and the sports world at large.”
Added Bilas: “For over twenty years, I have been honored to be a member of ESPN’s amazing team and, like all of my teammates here at ESPN, I’ve always fully embraced the role I have been assigned. I’m thrilled to continue my career with ESPN, and to work together with so many talented and dedicated people. I’m extraordinarily fortunate to be a part of this team.”
Bilas joined ESPN in the 1994-95 college basketball season as a game and studio color commentator.
In 2007 and 2008, Bilas was nominated for an Emmy as Outstanding Studio Personality, and in 2008 Bilas was honored by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) for the Best Column of the Year. Sports Illustrated has twice named Bilas the best analyst in college basketball.
A prep All-American from Los Angeles, Calif., the 6-7 Bilas was a four-year starter at Duke under Mike Krzyzewski from 1982-86. As an undersized center, Bilas scored 1,062 points, grabbed 692 rebounds, and helped lead Duke to the 1986 ACC Championship and NCAA Championship game. Bilas’ 1986 Duke team still holds the NCAA record for the most wins in a single season with 37.
Drafted by the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, Bilas played professional basketball overseas, ranking among the leagues’ top scorers in Italy during the 1987 and 1988 seasons, and then in Spain for part of the 1989 season. Bilas returned to Duke in 1990 to serve as an assistant coach on Krzyzewski’s staff, while also earning his law degree from Duke Law School. As an assistant coach under Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils advanced to the NCAA Championship game three times, winning back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992.
Since 1992, Bilas has been an attorney with the law firm of Moore & Van Allen, PLLC, where he has specialized in commercial litigation. Bilas serves on the Board of Advisors of the John R. Wooden Award, the Board of Advisors of the Chip Hilton Award, the National Board of the Coaches vs. Cancer Organization and the Board of Advisors of the Duke Brain Tumor Center and Duke Childrens’ Hospital.
Bilas has participated as a coach in two “Operation Hardwood – Hoops With the Troops” basketball tournaments in 2005 and 2006, in which NCAA coaches and sports personalities coach military basketball teams at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.