Some might call Purim “March Madness”, but in the sports world, that title is reserved for the NCAA men’s Division I basketball tournament, when some of the world’s brightest young stars prove their worth, with many holding NBA aspirations. And this year, in an unusual twist, three of the four number-one seeds are coached by Jews. There’s Bruce Pearl, the storied coach of the esteemed Auburn Tigers since 2014; the Florida Gators’ Todd Golden, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Israel; and Maccabi Tel Aviv champion Jon Scheyer, whose Duke Blue Devils include top draft prospects like Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach and Kon Knueppel.
Is there a reason Jews are excelling in college coaching? The Menschwarmers have some thoughts, like maybe it’s the fact that a good college coach combines elements of a camp counsellor with a disappointed parent.
The CJN’s sports podcasters dive deep into the many Jewish angles of this NCAA basketball tournament, including Jewish players worth keeping eyes on, like Danny Wolf, Sam Silverstein and Alex Karaban, as well as notable women like Israeli-born Yarden Garzon, touted as a WNBA draft lock in 2026.
Credits
- Hosts: James Hirsh and Gabe Pulver
- Producer: Michael Fraiman
- Music: Coby Lipovitch (intro), chēēZ π (main theme, “Organ Grinder Swing“)
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