Lute Olson has picked a team to root for in the 2016 NBA Finals, but it isn’t the Warriors or the Cavaliers.
It’s the Wildcats.
A total of seven former Arizona players, all of whom played during the Olson era, will be facing off in the NBA Finals starting Thursday. The Warriors have forward Andre Iguodala, plus coaches Steve Kerr, Luke Walton and Bruce Fraser, while the Cavaliers have forward Channing Frye and Richard Jefferson, plus assistant coach Bret Brielmaier.
It’s the most Wildcats in an NBA Finals by far, with the previous high being when the 1997 Chicago Bulls featured former UA players Jud Buechler, Bison Dele and Kerr. It’s also the first finals since 2011 that featured former Wildcats facing each other on the court, as Jason Terry (Dallas) and Mike Bibby (Miami) did that year.
“That’s amazing,” Olson said. “I’ll just be happy with any of the Wildcats who score. I’ll be watching all of them.”
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Here’s a look at Arizona’s NBA finalists and their journey to get there:
