Jim Phillips: 'Not paying attention if you don't think that ACC is the premiere basketball conference'

The ACC is still enjoying their successful run in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. A number of their teams performed well in the big dance this year, and ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips didn’t hesitate to capitalize on the opportunity to showcase the conference as one of the nation’s best.

Check out his interview below on the ACC Network on Friday evening, ahead of the women’s Final Four.

"You're not paying attention if you don't think that the ACC is the premiere basketball conference in the country."

Commissioner Jim Phillips says the narrative surrounding the ACC doesn't match reality. pic.twitter.com/Vb1nnEjvyU

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) April 5, 2024

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Many members of the national media were quick to claim it was a down year for the conference on the hardwood. But many ACC basketball fans and media have been quick to clap back after their teams have had a great NCAA Tournament, including N.C. State making it all the way to the Final Four, in both the men’s and women’s tournaments.

What does having a team in the Final Four for both the men’s and the women’s tournaments mean for the ACC?

“It’s hard to put into words,” Phillips said on Friday in Cleveland. “It really is. It’s been an amazing run. And as you and Pack have talked about all year. The narrative never matched the results. Disappointing. That’s for another day. But how proud are all of us for how the ACC has performed in the men’s tournament and women’s tournament. And you and I are obviously here in Cleveland. What an exciting moment for N.C. State. Wes Moore is probably as good of a coach as there is in the country. Right?”

“And so, you just love seeing those kinds of results and leading a team to the Final Four like he has with a great group of young women. You know, we’ve averaged eight teams a year on the women’s side going into the tournament for six straight years. In our last decade or so, we’ve had six different teams in the Final Four. So, the standard of excellence continues to be set by the ACC. And again, I’m just incredibly proud of our student-athletes and coaches,” Phillips said.

The head man of the ACC took a minute to let everyone know the conference is among the best basketball conferences in the country. He was tired of the constant criticism from many different members of the national media for much of the 2023-2024 basketball season.

“You’re not paying attention if you don’t think the ACC is the premiere basketball conference in the country. A lot of folks say those kinds of things, but this is about results. And if you look at the short term or the longer term, the history of the ACC. It speaks for itself. On the men’s side and on the women’s side,” Phillips continued.

“Yes, maybe there is a great team from a particular conference. But when you look top to bottom, across our current 15 members. There’s no better conference in the country. There just isn’t. And the results indicate that. And then second is, as bullish as I am about the ACC now, I think we have a chance to be even better as we move forward. I really do. I’m excited about where we’re going. We had some transition in coaches both on the men’s and women’s side. I really like the three new women’s coaches that we hired.”

“I think that for those that really understand basketball and are following basketball. They understand how good the ACC is,” the commissioner explained.

The N.C. State women’s basketball team is taking on No. 1 seed South Carolina on Friday night on ESPN. That game is currently underway. And on Saturday night, the N.C. State men’s basketball team will take on the top-seeded Purdue Boilermakers. Tip-off is set for 6:09 PM EST and the game will be televised on TBS.