Shabazz Napier: ‘This is what happens when you ban us’ [Video]

Shabazz Napier wanted to make sure he had our attention Monday night.

Of course the Connecticut guard had our attention, after scoring 22 points against Kentucky to lead the Huskies to an unlikely NCAA title and earning Final Four MVP honors for himself along the way.

But just to be sure, Napier asked for everyone’s attention during a nationally televised postgame interview that was being broadcast throughout AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

To be exact, he asked for it three times. The UConn senior had a message for the NCAA and the rest of the college basketball world:

“This is what happens when you ban us!”

The Huskies, who also won the NCAA title during Napier’s freshman season in 2011, were banned from the tournament last year as punishment for not meeting academic standards.

Some UConn players switched schools. Others bolted for the NBA. Napier and fellow starters DeAndre Daniels, Niels Giffey and Ryan Boatright decided to stay and work through the adversity.

On Monday night, they were rewarded with the program’s fourth championship trophy since 1999.

“We worked so hard for it,” Napier told the attentive crowd. “Two years and hungry. Hungry Huskies.”