City of Basketball Love

Stephen Pianovich (@SPianovich)
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Daniel Ochefu doesn’t have cable in his apartment. No, as of Wednesday, the TV at the senior forward’s place is strictly for video games, though that could be changing.

After Villanova’s tantalizing triumph over North Carolina in the National Championship, the Wildcats have fallen into a world of fame, one that stretches far beyond just getting high fives and selfie requests on campus. Villanova has been featured on every sports television show, website and radio show this week, and the team’s thrilling NCAA title has crossed the threshold from sports into pop culture.

It’s hard to miss Villanova on any TV channel this week. And it’s more than just buzzer-beating folk hero Kris Jenkins getting the attention.

On Tuesday night’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CBS’ late night host gave a shoutout to who he thought was the real star of the game: Ochefu, and his last-minute mopping. Ochefu’s janitorial skills were on full display when he took a mop out of a kid’s hands and did the dirty work himself, clearing up sweat from where he fell so he could set a screen on the game-winning play. With the deed, Ochefu earned himself a spot on the cover of Colbert’s favorite fictionalized sports video game – NCAA Mop Madness 2017.

Ochefu and his teammates are letting the moment soak in, but they all know and understand who is going to get the most love this week.

“I personally have not been walking around campus. I’m going to wait until everyone mobs Kris a couple of more times. I’m seeing if I can sneak around,” Ochefu said. "It was crazy. …He hit the biggest shot in NCAA Championship Game history.”

In case anyone needs further proof of Ochefu’s claim, former Duke star Christian Laettner tweeted after Jenkins beat the buzzer and North Carolina "What a game and a shot! Passing the crown to Jenkins!"

Laettner, who famously hit turnaround buzzer-beater against Kentucky in 1992 to reach the Final Four, was far from the only celebrity -- inside or outside the realm of basketball – to acknowledge Jenkins.

The 6-foot-6 forward is gracing the cover of this week’s Sports Illustrated; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving posted a picture of Jenkins (well, mostly just his feet) on his Instagram since Jenkins was wearing his signature shoes; Jenkins also got to go on air with Mike and Mike, an ESPN show he watches religiously.

But the best shoutout, that came from the most powerful person in the United States.

President Obama called Jay Wright to congratulate the coach on his National Title earlier in the week. When he did so, he specifically recognized the Wildcats hero, saying “tell Jenkins he looked pretty cool out there taking that shot.”

“That’s cool,” Jenkins said, breaking out in an astonished laugh, still very much in awe of the comment. “That’s probably the best moment so far, having the President say that. …We’ll be the last men’s college basketball team to visit President Obama in the White House, I think that’s pretty cool. I’m happy to say that.”

The trip to the White House for Jenkins, who went to high school in Washington D.C., is just one of the perks that comes with his new-found fame. He hasn’t had too much alone time since hitting the 26-footer that would change his life, but when he has, he’s been able to reflect.

“As a kid you dream about moments like that, but you never really think it will happen,” he said. “You think it could happen, but you never know if it will. And so for it to happen is unbelievable.”

All Villanova players are sharing those surreal sentiments, even senior Ryan Arcidiacono, who was typically the most composed player on the court.

“I forgot about the White House thing, that’ll be pretty sweet,” he said. “All of these, I was on Jim Rome this morning and everything is like, ‘Is this real life? Is this really happening? Is this happening to me, to us as a team?' ”

Yes it is, and that will continue on Friday when the Wildcats parade through Center City Philadelphia to cap a week of celebrating.

The outpouring of attention can be overbearing at times, though, which is why junior guard Josh Hart was happy to lay low after the team got back from Houston on Tuesday night.

“I went back and played Xbox. I face-timed with my girlfriend, and then I looked at the clock and it was 10:30,” Hart said. “So I said you know what, I’m just gonna hang in, play Xbox, catch up on the OJ show. And I ate some ice cream and called it a night.”

With an Xbox plugged in or tuned to a show about OJ Simpson are about the only ways you can turn on the TV this week and not see the Wildcats.