OFFICIAL RECAP: NCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL FINAL FOUR

In the Lone Star State teamwork reigned supreme. Read on to find a recap of our weekend celebrating the men playing in the 2023 NCAA Final Four Tournament.

For over 20 years, Wilson has been partnered with the NCAA as the Official Basketball of March Madness, Men’s Final Four, and Women’s Final Four. Every game played during the past 20+ tournaments has used a Wilson basketball. In 2022, Wilson released a new game basketball, the NCAA Evo NXT, which is the current game ball used in all games.

In addition to March Madness, Wilson is the basketball used in several D-1 conference championships: SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, AAC, WAC, Sun Belt, Colonial, Big West, Big Sky, Ohio Valley, SoCon, and Southland.

Fans, players, coaches and influencers joined us in Houston as we celebrated this partnership at the Men's Final Four Fan Fest® Presented by Capital One.

CORNER THREES. CORNER BOOTHS. STREET CORNERS. YOUR CORNER.

At this 2023 Final Four weekend, Wilson's booth became "The Corner." Fan Fest attendees joined us for live conversations with influencers, athletes, coaches, and celebrities. Fans could also cop exclusive March Madness gear and our new basketball sportswear apparel line, and could even personalize their gear with limited edition patches and an on-site embroiderer.

​​Here is how Wilson celebrated the Men’s Final Four at NRG Stadium in Houston.

WILSON "THE CORNER" BOOTH

Friday, March 31st

Leveling Up – Creating Your Own Lane in The Industry

• Host: Alyssa Bergamini
• Nick Antom
• Bun B
• Quinn Cook

Guests stopped by “The Corner” for a lively chat about leveling up and how to create your own lane in the industry from a few legends. Hosted by Alyssa Bergamini, rapper and entrepreneur Bun B, two-time NBA champion Quinn Cook, and Founder of Veniceball basketball league and Hoopbus non-profit, Nick Ansom spoke about their love of ball and got candid about their many successes.

When asked about how he dealt with being an “underdog” early in his career, Bun B offered insight helpful for any rising star. “The city believed in us and we believed in ourselves. We fought against everything that was set up and designed to keep us out of the game and actually made it in the game, and became successful in the game. And now I'm in my 31st year of actually making music. I'm still active. I'm still doing what I love to do,” he replied.

Saturday, April 1st

The Making of a Great Player

• Host: Alyssa Bergamini
• Steve Francis
• Pat Robinson (Pat The Roc)

When it comes to the “making of a great player” who knows better than industry greats Steve Francis and Pat “The Roc” Robinson? The two men chopped it up with host Alyssa Bergamini and audience members about growing up in similar circles in Maryland, their long-time friendship, and what it takes to win.

When asked about his early beginnings and when he realized that turning pro was a dream that could become a reality Francis got candid.

“ I think when I realized that everybody was the same in the heart, you know? I was smaller than everybody when I was younger. I used to be timid and very scared to go against the big guys, but in the summertime playing against older guys, in older leagues and just sacrificing, you know, training and doing things like that. So it wasn't just one day. I think it was over a period of four or five years and just really focusing on the possibility of being a professional basketball player. But I'm pretty sure anyone that made it to the NBA would tell you they didn't know until they were until their name was called,” he laughed.

To which Robinson also shared, “I never looked at it as a basketball. I always looked at it as an opportunity and I tell kids today, ‘I used to take my basketball everywhere. Now my basketball takes me everywhere.’”

Sunday, April 1st

Playing Ball at an HBCU

• Host: Rob Nice
• Davon Barnes
• Vernette Skeete

On Sunday, the topic of historically Black colleges and universities took center stage. Head coach for Texas Southern, Vernette Skeete, and TSU Tigers forward Davon Barnes chatted with host Rob Nice about their own experiences representing HBCUs.

“An HBCU was created as a place of celebration of Black excellence,” said coach Skeete. She also expressed how HBCUs like her own Texas Southern was the ideal environment for Black students to express themselves considering how much culture and various social groups pass through the school’s hallways.

“When you come to an HBCU, a lot of people don't realize, there might be gothic black people. There are so many different genres of [Black] culture that there's not one specific brand or one specific look. And I think it gives you an opportunity to explore,” she said.

Though when it came to the court and teammate behavior, Davon Barnes shared that no matter who you are or where you’re from, some things never change. Particularly bench behavior.

“I've gotten in trouble for bench behavior before,” the Texas Southern Forward said to the crowd. “After a game I'm sitting, talking to my teammates and my coach goes up to me and says, ‘Why are you laughing on the bench? Why are you talking on the bench?’” Barnes was taken aback, having no idea that he was being watched so intently and not realizing that he and his teammates' bench behavior mattered so much. “ I realized what I was really doing on the bench and that mattered for sure,” he said.

Twitter During the Tournament

• Host: Rob Nice
• Brantlee Fields
• Baron Davis
• Mario Chalmers

Sunday wrapped up with a robust chat centered on Twitter. Former NBA All-Star Baron Davis and former Miami Heat point guard Mario Chalmers chatted with Twitter’s own head of partnerships Brantlee Fields about the power of social media.

“I used Twitter over the last, I would say five years to become an investor,” said Davis, who pivoted from being an All-Star point guard to a savvy businessman. “I remember five years ago saying that I'm going to invest in at least five to 10 companies a year and I'll pick them off of Twitter. People thought I was crazy. But for me, Twitter led to LinkedIn, led to Crunchbase, led to TechCrunch…it was like a rabbit hole.”

Though the chat wasn’t all about Twitter and business. When an audience member asked Chalmers about his old coach and mentor, Bill Self.

“I'm not going to lie, I think having coach Self as my coach. He’s one of my mentors and he paved the way for me today,” he reflected. “I still talk to coach Self to this day. He was one of the first coaches to believe in me, believe in my game, and, you know, give me little pointers to help me take it to the next level and just to be a better man off the court, a better person off the court. And that's one thing I always take my hat off to. Coach was like, he was one coach that really helped me and taught me how to be a better person and player.”

Monday, April 3rd

Everything’s Bigger in Texas – Big Moment, The Big Game, and Big Fandom

• Host: Rob Nice
• TJ Ford
• Sheryl Swoopes
• Johnny Jones

On Monday, the jam-packed weekend at The Corner was brought to an inspiring close when T.J. Ford, founder of his namesake basketball academy, legendary WNBA player Sheryl Swoopes and Texas Southern head coach Johnny Jones joined on stage. Hosted by Rob Nice, the trio shared what it’s like as both coach and player on Final Four Game Day, and the legacies that inspired them.

Swoopes, a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and the first player ever to be signed by the WNBA got nostalgic when recalling her early beginnings.

“There were so many women who came before me, right? The Nancy Lieberman's, the Cheryl Millers, the Ann Meyers. And I never got an opportunity to watch women play basketball. So for me, when that opportunity came with the 1996 Olympic team and the WNBA starting, it was so important that little girls got to see somebody that looked like them. To say, ‘If she's doing it, I can do it’ and my story is probably like every other little girl out there who had dreams and who had goals and said, ‘This is what I want to do with my life!’ The funny thing is I thought I was gonna be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader,” she explained.

Shop All Of Our March Madness Gear Here

AVAILABLE ON-SITE AT FINAL FOUR FAN FEST

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1. Evo NXT Final Four Game Basketball, Size 7

- $99.95

- Same basketball used on court throughout all of March Madness

- Houston Final Four logo embossed

- Micro-Touch Composite Leather

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2. NCAA Final Four Rubber Basketball, Size 7

- $34.95

- Outdoor cover designed for grip on rough surfaces

- Houston themed design

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3. NCAA Final Four Mini Rubber Basketball, Size 3

- $24.95

- Outdoor cover designed for grip on rough surfaces

- Houston themed design

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4. NCAA Final Four Mini Autograph Basketball, Size 3

- $29.95

- Signature-ready smooth white surface, built to document autographs

- Houston themed design

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5. Evo NXT Limited Edition Basketball, Size 7

- $149.95

- This limited edition ball comes with patches and a display case

- Houston Final Four Logo embossed

- Micro-Touch Composite Leather

Check Out Our New Sportswear Arrivals

WILSON LIVE

The Wilson Live app team is on-site showcasing its signature Evo*Editions program. Evo*Edition basketballs are fully-playable, limited-edition basketball with a unique design straight from our product squad. In addition to seeing Evo*Editions in person, attendees can enter to win a Mystery Evo*Edition ball through Wilson Live. Even if you're not in Houston, you can still get in on the action by downloading the Wilson Live app HERE or scanning the QR code below.

Follow us along this weekend by following our @wilsonbasketball IG. We hope to see you in Houston!

Updated June 28, 2023