In a few hours, Auburn, Florida, Duke, and Houston will battle in San Antonio for the opportunity to play in Monday’s college basketball national championship game.
And there’s an interesting note about three of the four coaches who lead their teams into the Final Four. Florida’s Todd Golden, Auburn’s Bruce Pearl, and Duke’s Jon Scheyer are all of the Jewish faith.
Each coach is a member of the Jewish Coaches Association, according to ncaa.com. The essential difference between Jews and Christians is their view of Jesus Christ. Christians believe Jesus is God and dwells in all born-again believers through the Holy Spirit.
However, Jesus is not part of most people’s Jewish theology. They don’t consider Jesus to be a divine being. They don’t believe in his resurrection.
Golden credited his Jewish beliefs for getting star player Walter Clayton Jr. to come to Florida.
"I guess one of the benefits of being Jewish is that we don't celebrate Easter," Golden said. "I got a plane that afternoon, flew up, met with Walt on Easter Sunday evening.”
As for Houston coach Kelvin Sampson, there’s not a lot of public evidence about his faith. It appears he has chosen not to use his national platform to express his faith. However, he is longtime good friends with outspoken Christian coach Rick Barnes of the University of Tennessee.
College basketball coaches, especially at the highest level in the NCAA, can have a strong influence over the young men they lead. And when the brights get as light as they will be in the Final Four and Monday’s championship, the coach may have a lifelong impact on the players.
Exactly how strong the bond grows may be different from years gone by. The connection may be superficial because the players get paid for their efforts and are no longer bound to one school for their college careers.
Still, it has become more common for athletes and coaches to share their faith. The opportunity gets magnified in premier sporting events, and millions of people will watch the last three games of the 2024-25 college basketball season.
The two coaches who win their semifinal games will have an opportunity to express their beliefs. One of those two will have a chance to do it twice. What those coaches will say remains to be seen.
But if the name of Jesus is proclaimed to millions of viewers, it may have to come from one of the players. Evangelism is an act of love. It comes from the heart of a believer who wants to share the good news of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 5:14-16
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
And Pearl ???