The Duke basketball program fired back on social media at former Arizona player Richard Jefferson, who went on a rant about how he hates everything about the Blue Devils.
In most cases, time heals all wounds. In other cases, you hold grudges forever.
Somewhere in the middle of that stands former Arizona Wildcat Richard Jefferson.
Jefferson, a basketball analyst for ESPN, has been doing an Instagram Live series since the basketball world was paused and the country was put in quarantine due to COVID-19.
On Thursday afternoon, his guest was current Atlanta Hawks rookie and former Duke Blue Devil Cam Reddish.
It didn’t take long for Jefferson to unleash his scripted, yet well-delivered rant on the Blue Devils program, which he has given before.
SportsCenter tweeted out the clip as it shortly went viral as many others around the country share the same sentiments as the former Wildcat in their hate for the juggernaut program in Durham.
"I hate Duke. ... I hate every player that's come out of Duke."
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 9, 2020
—@Rjeff24 to former Duke player @camreddish 😂 pic.twitter.com/z9RxEGNxVC
The main reason for Jefferson’s dislike of Duke came specifically in 2001 when the Blue Devils toppled Arizona in the National Championship Game, 82-72, which was the third championship in program history for Duke.
Arizona’s loss ended up being the final game of Richard Jefferson’s career as a Wildcat, and he played very well, ending the night with 19 points and eight rebounds on 7-of-13 shooting from the floor and 4-of-8 from 3-point range.
The game also marked the last time the Arizona basketball team was in a National Championship Game as the overhyped program has not advanced to a Final Four since 2001.
However, moments after the interview had concluded and SportsCenter tweeted out the clip, the Duke Men’s Basketball Twitter page tweeted the following photo as an impromptu ‘Throwback Thursday’.
#TBT 🏆 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣1️⃣ pic.twitter.com/rfaYXfKJDH
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) April 9, 2020
An iconic photo and jab at Jefferson, who should be grateful for all players that come out of Duke considering he would not have his only NBA Championship if it were not for Kyrie Irving‘s clutch 3-pointer against the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.
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Richard Jefferson will continue his hate of Duke basketball anytime he is asked about college basketball, but his words will never change the outcome of the 2001 NCAA National Championship Game and the winners, the Duke Blue Devils.