The acclaimed college basketball analyst and attorney shared leadership advice and wisdom from his days as a student athlete and assistant under legendary Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Jay Bilas’s distinguished career has straddled athletics and the law, creating what the popular ESPN broadcaster describes as an “interesting contrast,” but the two professions may share a common trait: so much of what is discussed in both realms has to do with leadership.
And not a day goes by that Bilas doesn’t reflect on leadership lessons learned as a player and assistant under Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, widely considered one of the greatest minds in the history of college hoops. Among those lessons:
- Blame is toxic but accountability is essential.
- There’s an important distinction between a goal and a destination.
- Strive to accomplish things without a fear of failing.
“All the talk that we had about winning? Coach K never emphasized winning for winning’s sake,” said Bilas, a four-year starter at Duke from 1982 to 1986. “He always talked about being worthy of winning. If we were worthy of winning, we’d win. That would be a byproduct of doing things right all the time. It was a daily standard that we strived to meet.”
Bilas shared these lessons and more with his audience on Oct. 25, 2023, as a featured guest at Elon University’s Charlotte Regional Center. The evening event included a Q&A for alumni, undergraduates currently interning in Charlotte, and prospective law students for the planned Elon Law Flex Program planned for Fall 2024.
In addition to his stories from working with Krzyzewski, Bilas reflected on his legal career, on the traits of leadership, on finding purpose in helping others, on balancing a job with a family, and on his belief in the rights student-athletes should have to be compensated for their contributions to the business of college sports.
He also instructed his audience to think beyond financial gifts to the university, though he acknowledged their importance.
“What I would encourage you to do is use your influence to touch the lives of current students,” Bilas said. “You’ve got experience, networks and things that could be really beneficial to these young people. That’s what they need.”
Bilas is a four-time Emmy nominee and has thrice been named the best analyst in college basketball by Sports Illustrated, among other honors. In 2016, he was the recipient of the prestigious Curt Gowdy Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The New York Times bestselling author of “Toughness: Developing True Strength on and Off the Court,” Bilas also writes for ESPN.com, and was awarded the Best Column of the Year in 2007 by The United States Basketball Writers Association.
Beyond sports, Bilas’s involvement extends to the legal and entertainment realms. He earned his law degree from Duke Law while serving for three years as an assistant coach on the men’s basketball team.
Since 1992, he has been an attorney with the law firm of Moore & Van Allen, PLLC, where he has focused on commercial litigation. He is also a member of the Screen Actors Guild and has appeared in numerous national television commercials and had a feature role in the Columbia Pictures film “I Come In Peace.”
A native of San Pedro, California, he now lives in Charlotte with his professional artist wife, Wendy.
The program was the first of its kind for a new facility that opened in September as Elon, guided by its Boldly Elon strategic plan, continues to deepen and expand regional centers with courses and cultural offerings in locations across the country, including Los Angeles and New York.
Prior to his evening remarks, Bilas spent time talking with a dozen students enrolled in the inaugural The Sport Experience cohort, an immersive semester in the Queen City for Elon University students to intern with professional and collegiate sports programs, media organizations, and nonprofits while taking classes in the Charlotte Regional Center.
Bilas offered advice to students by recounting a story from his youth. One day, while on a work site where his father wanted him to gain experience with manual labor, Bilas thought he could complete tasks faster by doubling the weight of material he planned to carry to the roof of a house. The weight proved too much and he fell backward off a rung.
His father’s response? Focus on the rung you’re on, not the rungs where you’re going, and you’ll eventually reach your destination.
“Jay’s message resonated with the entire audience, but in particular the students, said Tony Weaver, associate dean for the School of Communications who, as Faculty Administrative Fellow for the university, provides strategic leadership for the academic development of Elon’s Regional Centers. “His words were truly inspirational as he discussed the importance of making healthy decisions, being accountable to yourself and those around you, and to appreciate special moments and opportunities.”
Student Reflections
“Jay Bilas has been on the television set throughout my childhood. He’s been with ESPN forever. His firsthand perspectives as a former student-athlete at Duke and his perspectives on dealing with the NCAA, which is something we’ve discussed here at Elon in a class about issues in college athletics, were great.”
Cameron McGuire ‘25
Hendersonville, North Carolina
Sport Management
“The story he told about climbing up a ladder, and the advice his dad gave him about taking things one step at a time? Right now, with this experience in Charlotte, I’m thinking about my future: where’s my next internship, my next job. That same advice resonated with me. I need to take things one day at a time and learn as I go, and I should never take one day for granted.”
Lena Gunn ‘25
Fairfield, Connecticut
Media Analytics and Strategic Communications
“It’s cool that Elon is providing us with these opportunities to meet people, especially in the industries that some of us want to enter. His advice to keep smiling and not always over-prepare – and to take everything one step at a time, and not try to shortcut things – was inspiring. Some people push themselves so hard that they end up losing interest in what they’re doing. Building on things slowly is important for long-term success.”
Lizzie Kuebler ‘25
Charlotte, North Carolina
Journalism