The best things Richard Jefferson said during Arizona’s OT win vs. Utah

For as much of a national treasure as Bill Walton is—fight me, this is a fact—there are plenty of times where you have absolutely no idea of what he’s talking about. It’s part of his charm.

But it looks (or sounds) like the Pac-12 has another broadcaster worth listening to every word he says in Richard Jefferson. The recently retired former Arizona Wildcats star is working as a color analyst for the Pac-12 Network and on Saturday he was paired with standout play-by-play man Roxy Bernstein.

And just like during his debut, back in November for the Arizona-Cal Poly game, Jefferson’s wit was top notch.

This man is always welcome in the McKale Center#BearDown ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/E3qrnonj45

— Arizona Athletics (@AZATHLETICS) January 5, 2019

Here are some of the more notable things Jefferson said, with context when applicable. Unlike with Walton, where context is more of a state of mind:

“I’m still writing those checks,” when Bernstein asked him if it hurt to write a check for the donation that led to Arizona naming its basketball practice gym after him.

“Those are the ones that keep you up at night,” after Brandon Randolph had a three-pointer in the first half go in, out, then in and out again.

“I have to stay off them now, I’m not working out as much as I was,” in reference to Reese’s peanut butter cups following a promo in which Reese’s was the sponsor.

“If you don’t believe us, ask Corey,” when he and Bernstein agreed that former Arizona guard Corey Williams’ name belonged in the Ring of Honor at McKale Center.

“Now it’s time for our favorite subject, block or charge,” after Chase Jeter draws a foul on a 50-50 play that could have easily been called a charge.

“Oh, that ball was definitely tipped … but we won’t tell anybody,” after one of Utah’s 17 turnovers appeared to have gone off an Arizona player’s fingers.

“I don’t know if I was close in anything. I was just an average player on a good team,” when Bernstein asked if Jefferson was close to leading the conference in any statistical category.

Most of Jefferson’s best lines came in the first half, with the closeness of the game in the second half and overtime taking away the opportunities for humor. But with Utah freshman Timmy Allen, a Mesa native, having a big game right after scoring a career-high 17 at ASU, the Phoenix native shared his thoughts on playing against the Sun Devils after leaving town for another school:

“As a Phoenix kid, when you play against Arizona State, it does mean something. Even thought I went to what I felt, at the time, was a better school—and a better basketball school—those Arizona State fans still felt like I was a traitor. They wanted me to stay home. They were not happy for any bit of success I had.

“And the only thing that I could do, really, was go 6-0 against them.”

Need some ointment for that third-degree burn, Sun Devil Nation?

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