Suns guard and Kentucky alum Eric Bledsoe had to smile and come clean when asked whether undefeated Kentucky would stay perfect in the NCAA Tournament.
“I think there’s a zero chance [they lose], but you know me,” he laughed. “I’m biased.”
The overall number one seed in this year’s edition of March Madness is trying to become the first undefeated NCAA champion since Indiana in 1976. The Suns’ three former Kentucky players – Bledsoe, Archie Goodwin and Brandon Knight – are all sticking by their former school.
“They’re going to win it all. Easy,” Goodwin deadpanned.
The second-year guard took his confidence even further when one local reporter asked whether Arizona, the second seed in Kentucky’s side of the bracket, had a chance of beating them.
“Everybody has a chance,” Goodwin began humbly enough before continuing. “Whether it’s a one percent chance or two-percent, you’ve got a chance.”
Alma mater allegiances aside, the Suns are impressed with Kentucky’s ability to harness a full complement of elite talent into a unit that plays team-oriented basketball.
“I’m just proud of the school and the guys and how Cal just makes everybody buy in to playing team ball,” Bledsoe said.
Bledsoe was part of an Elite Eight run with the Wildcats in 2010. Comparisons between his squad – which also featured current NBA stars John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins – and 2012 (Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, national championship) and this year have run rampant. Bledsoe, however, said he’s simply happy Kentucky is still a contender and that their undefeated status will be even more fascinating in the tournament’s one-and-done arena.
“They’re making history,” Bledsoe said. “Not many teams that went undefeated for a season like that. Now just try to finish strong and take it a game at a time. The tournament is something else. All it takes is one game [to be eliminated] and that’s what makes it so fun.”