2014 Final Four Day 2: How Would You Use a Giant JumboTron?

Imagine 72-foot high zombies running at you. Or a digital LeBron James soaring for a dunk in a game of NBA 2K14 that is bigger than a basketball court. Some of the guys playing in the Final Four would love to see those things on the enormous video boards hanging above the court at AT&T Stadium.

Kid Reporter Jake Aron roamed the locker rooms Friday asking players from all four teams some thought-provoking questions about the screens, which are so big that they’re roughly the equivalent of 5,000 52-inch TVs!

Of the 16 players Jake interviewed, 12 said they would rather play their favorite video game on the screen than see highlights of themselves. Several picked NBA 2K14 as their game of choice. When asked to pick between watching their favorite TV show or doing karaoke on the screen, players were almost split: Seven chose doing karaoke, and nine chose watching TV, including Wisconsin’s Riley Dearring, who would love to see Walking Dead.


Would you rather watch your favorite TV show on that huge screen, or use it for karaoke?


Wisconsin junior forward Duje Dukan: Definitely have to go with karaoke night on the big screen. I’d have to go with “Timber” by Ke$ha.

UConn freshman forward Kentan Facey: I would say my favorite TV show, SpongeBob.

Kentucky senior guard Jarrod Polson: Definitely karaoke night. I’m a karaoke fan.

Florida junior forward Jacob Kurtz: Definitely watch my favorite TV show. I’m not much of a singer. I’d be way too embarrassed (to sing), especially on that big screen.

Wisconsin junior center Evan Anderson: Oh gosh. Probably karaoke on the big screen. What song? "You’re Beautiful" by James Blunt.

Kentucky freshman forward Derek Willis: I’d probably have to go with my favorite TV show. Either Adventure Time or Regular Show.

UConn senior forward Tyler Olander: That’s a tough one. I think karaoke night would be a lot of fun.

Kentucky freshman guard Dominique Hawkins: I think I would rather have karaoke night. I would probably sing Drake, “Just Hold On.”

Florida freshman forward Chris Walker: Good question. I would karaoke. I’d sing “Chicken Fried.”

Wisconsin sophomore guard Zak Showalter: That’s a really tough question. I would rather watch my favorite TV show, Friday Night Lights.



Would you rather see a highlight of yourself on the screen, or play your favorite video game on it?


Wisconsin junior forward Duje Dukan: I’d have to say video game. I’d say FIFA. Me and Frank (Kaminsky) have a lot of battles on that.

Florida junior forward Jacob Kurtz: Probably play my favorite video game. I’d like to play NCAA Football on this big screen! Now that would be fun.

UConn senior forward Tyler Olander: Play video games. I’m a big video game fan. I like Call of Duty.

Kentucky freshman guard EJ Floreal: This is Sports Illustrated Kids? These are hard questions. Watch a highlight of myself. 

Florida freshman forward Chris Walker: Dang! (Rubs chin for several seconds.) Play a video game. I’d either play [NBA] 2K14 or Black Ops.

Wisconsin freshman forward Vitto Brown: I don’t play video games much, so I’d say highlights.

Kentucky freshman guard Dominique Hawkins: Play my favorite video game. That would be probably Black Ops 2.

Wisconsin junior center Evan Anderson: Probably a highlight of myself.

Florida junior guard Billy Donovan: I’d probably play my favorite video game. Assassin’s Creed.

Kentucky freshman forward Derek Willis: Definitely play my favorite video game. Right now, I’m stuck on Titanfall.


Photo: Tom Pennington/Getty Images