Celebrities and athletes reveal their 2022 March Madness brackets originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
It’s time to redirect your home office to face the television, cancel all plans that don’t have to do with NCAA basketball and begin following your 2022 bracket champions. It’s March Madness season.
Hone in on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat to collect all the information you can before we enter the official tournament. That is, if you want bragging rights this year.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
Every year we observe the brackets created by celebrities, athletes, and stars who are fans of the game. Let’s see what is cooking in the realm of 2022 brackets:
Some celebrity predictions:
Champion: Gonzaga (men’s) – South Carolina (women’s)
Sports
Final Four: Gonzaga, Kentucky, Arizona, Kansas (men’s) – South Carolina, Baylor, UConn, Stanford (women’s)
Former President of the United States Barack Obama always showcases his predictions for the NCAA March Madness tournaments. This time around he predicts Gonzaga winning its first-ever title for the men’s and South Carolina taking it for the women’s.
Glen Powell
Champion: Texas (men’s)
Final Four: Gonzaga, Texas, Tennessee, Kansas (men’s)
“Top Gun: Maverick” actor Glen Powell has his hometown Texas Longhorns in his Final Four next to Tennessee, Gonzaga and Kansas. He has the Longhorns taking the title against Tennessee 72-65.
Jay Ellis
Champion: Kentucky (men’s)
Final Four: Gonzaga, Villanova, Kansas, Kentucky
Powell’s co-star in “Top Gun: Maverick” has also laid out some predictions for the men’s championship title. Actor Jay Ellis believes Kentucky will clinch the win among his Final Four, which consists of Villanova, Gonzaga and Kansas.
Champion: South Carolina (women’s)
Final Four: South Carolina, Baylor, Texas, Kentucky
Chicago Sky forward Candace Parker also always participates in March Madness predictions. The WNBA star has South Carolina, Baylor, Texas and Kentucky in her women’s Final Four, with South Carolina taking the title.
Champion: South Carolina (women’s)
Final Four: South Carolina, Baylor, Stanford, North Carolina State
Another WNBA legend decided to enter into the mix. Dallas Wings guard Tyasha Harris believes that her alma mater, South Carolina, will take the title in the women’s championship.
Champion: Arizona (men’s)
Final Four: Michigan State, Virginia Tech, Arizona, Kansas
Former Knicks guard Nate Robinson predicts Arizona will take the title, while MSU, Virginia Tech, Arizona and Kansas make up his Final Four.
Interestingly enough, Robinson's starting predictions hold true. On Thursday night, No. 15 St. Peter's clinched a 85-79 win in overtime, knocking No. 2 Kentucky from the tournament. Most people's brackets were damaged, but not Robinson -- who actually called this upset.
Champion: Arizona (men’s)
Final Four: Gonzaga, Kentucky, Arizona, Auburn
Former NBA guard and current social media influencer Rex Chapman has slated his alma mater, Kentucky, to make it to the Final Four, but he does not have the Wildcats taking home the title. Instead, Chapman predicts Arizona will reign supreme in the men’s tournament.
Penn Holderness
Champion: Gonzaga (men’s)
Final Four: Gonzaga, Kentucky, Arizona, Auburn
Actor and Youtuber Penn Holderness, who also happened to win the 2022 Amazing Race with his wife Kim, predicts the Zags will take the title in this year’s NCAA men’s championship, alongside Kentucky, Arizona and Auburn, who make up his Final Four.
Jimmy Fallon
Champion: Gonzaga (men’s) – Stanford (women’s)
Final Four: Gonzaga, Purdue, Tennessee, Kansas – South Carolina, Gonzaga, Stanford, North Carolina State (women’s)
"Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon always participates in the camaraderie of March Madness. This year his predictions lean toward Gonzaga clinching the men’s title and Stanford clinching the women’s.
Champion: Auburn (men’s)
Octavia Spencer announced on Twitter that her faith is in Auburn. The Academy Award-winning actress graduated as a Tiger in 1994.
Some insiders’ perspectives:
Pat Forde, Sports Illustrated
Champion: Gonzaga
Final Four: Gonzaga, Arizona, Kansas, Purdue
Kevin Sweeney, Sports Illustrated
Champion: Gonzaga
Final Four: Gonzaga, Arizona, Iowa, Kentucky
Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated
Champion: Texas Tech, Arizona, Auburn, Baylor
Final Four: Arizona
Jason Jordan, Sports Illustrated
Champion: Gonzaga, UCLA, Tennessee, Auburn
Final Four: Gonzaga
Now it’s time for the games to begin and these brackets to come into play.
