Kansas was eliminated from the second round of the NCAA Tournament after a two-point loss to St. John's, 67-65, at Viejo Arena on Sunday.
Dylan Darling made the biggest shot of his career, sinking the game-winning layup as time expired to save the No. 5 Red Storm against the No. 4 Jayhawks.
One man who knows all about making an iconic shot in March Madness is former Kansas star Mario Chalmers. He made his name known in the college world in 2008 by missing a three-pointer against Memphis to send the title game into overtime. The Jayhawks ultimately won 75–68, earning their third national trophy.
Chalmers carried his championship pedigree to the NBA by winning back-to-back rings with the Miami Heat.
When asked by Bleacher Report what is more difficult to win between the NCAA Tournament and the NBA Finals, Chalmers had an easy answer.
Chalmers said, "I would have to say college just because it's one-and-done. That one-and-done game you get every time. It took us three years to get to that (championship)."
"In the NBA, it's a seven-game series. Getting there is definitely the hard part, but once you get there, you have to win four times, so you have more opportunities."
Mario Chalmers says winning the NBA Finals was easier than winning the NCAA Tournament
Chalmers is a 2-time NBA champion with the Miami Heat and won the 2008 national championship with the Kansas Jayhawks. pic.twitter.com/zO9y4mtw5N
- Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) 23 March 2026
Kansas was on the verge of losing to the Tigers, who were led by Derrick Rose. But Kansas backed Chalmers and Darrell Arthur. Rose split his free throws with 10.8 seconds left in regulation, leading to Chalmers' game-tying three-pointer.
Chalmers finished with 18 points, three rebounds, three assists and four steals and was named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament.
His clutch bucket will always be remembered as one of the greatest shots of the NCAA Tournament. There is no debate on that.
