"Already gave up on going pro," "Goated" — College hoops fans react as Final Four hero Kyle Guy joins Virginia's coaching staff
Virginia University’s former star Kyle Guy has retired after just five years of professional basketball. At just 26 years old, he will now adopt a coaching role as a special assistant and athlete-development mentor at Virginia University. He is most known among college fans for his 2019 March Madness journey, especially the Final Four against Bruce Pearl’s Auburn Tigers.
Guy made back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the Tigers’ lead before garnering a shooting foul at the corner side arc. He sank all three free throws, sending Virginia to its first-ever NCAA championship game and national title.
While Virginia Cavaliers fans are thrilled to have their sharpshooter back in their system, several college hoops fans could not help but point out his early retirement as a player:
"He already gave up on going pro lmao," a fan wrote.
"Can we find a way to get him back out on the court? Maybe under a different name?" another follower wrote.
"I'm happy for him. Just wish the pros would have given him a chance," an enthusiast commented.
Additionally, several fans utilized the comment section to share their impressions of the 2019 NCAA Final Four game:
"They double dribbled right before that….no call. Lost the ball, went back and picked it up with both hands. And then started dribbling again," a follower wrote.
"The rule states that a defender cannot leave his feet and land further forward within the shooter's landing space. That's exactly what the defender did. It's a foul. 2019 National Champions," a Cavalier fan defended.
"Pretty sure Auburn missed some free throws as well, make those and none of the crying happens," another fan quipped.
Looking back at Kyle Guy's 2019 NCAA March Madness run
Kyle Guy averaged 12.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists on a high clip of 43.3 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from the 3-point line throughout his college career.
However, his efficiency skyrocketed in his last season, as he shot nearly 50 percent from inside the arc and made 120 3-pointers on 42.6 percent efficiency throughout the season.
This made Kyle Guy an instrumental piece in the Virginia Cavaliers' sole championship run, as he generated averages of 21.3 points on 46.9 percent shooting in the last three games, earning the Most Outstanding Player award for the tourney.
He spent three years in the NBA, playing for the Sacramento Kings and Miami Heat, before mounting a multiyear international stint.