Why did Jay Wright retire early? Taking a closer look at Villanova legend's coaching career
Jay Wright retired as the Villanova men's basketball team coach on April 20, 2022, just a few weeks after that Final Four appearance.
After 21 seasons at the helm of the Wildcats program, Wright announced his retirement at the age of 60. His final game was the 2022 NCAA Final Four loss to eventual national champion Kansas on April 2, 2022.
Why did Jay Wright retire?
During his retirement press conference, Jay Wright acknowledged that he no longer felt the same "edge" that had once come naturally to him, leading him to evaluate his mindset and ultimately decide that it was time to step away.
"I've been thinking about it for a few years, you just think about it." Wright said "But during this season it started to hit me that it was just the right time. I kind of looked at where my coaching was, everybody being in place, our staff, the team. As I said, we wanted to leave this in a better place than we found it, and we want it to be strong and in a great position when we left.
"I started to feel like I didn't have the edge that I've always had, where the edge always came natural to me, so I started evaluating it. I would never have to think about anything I did, I would just go into a meeting, go into a team meeting, I had everything set. So I started thinking, like, 'You've gotta get yourself fired up here, let's go.'"
Does Jay Wright want to coach again?
Will Jay Wright ever coach again? No, he's firmly stood by his decision to retire from coaching.
The 62-year-old former Villanova head coach has consistently reiterated his lack of interest in returning to the sidelines.
“I get it,” Wright said to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I do know, in my mind, I do not think I’ll coach again. I’m so sure about it.
“One of the things I’ve learned in life, especially now that I’m out of coaching, is you never know. Right now, in my mind, I’m convinced that I’m done coaching.”
As per the Philadelphia Inquirer, Wright said that he doesn't miss coaching "at all" and is content with his post-coaching endeavors.
“I do TV now and I look across and see those guys and I say to myself, ‘I’m way more comfortable here than I would be over there right now.’”
Jay Wright transitioned into a new role as a college basketball analyst for CBS following his retirement.
How many NCAA titles did Jay Wright win?
Jay Wright guided the Wildcats to two NCAA championships, the first in 2016 and the second in 2018
Is Jay Wright in the Hall of Fame?
Yes, Jay Wright is in the Hall of Fame.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021 in recognition of his incredible coaching career at Villanova.
Wright was a two-time national coach of the year. He also won eight Big East regular-season titles and five tournament crowns. Plus, he was 642-282 (69.5%) as a head coach, also coaching Hofstra. In addition, Wright spent five years as an assistant under Villanova legend Rollie Massimino (1987-92).
Over his 21 years at Villanova from 2001 to 2022, Wright amassed a 520-197 record (.725%). He led the program to 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, four Final Fours and those two national titles.