"Want anybody to win except Duke": 3x SB champ Shannon Sharpe makes his feelings known on National championship battle days away from March Madness

The 2025 NCAA national tournament is just days away. Three-time NFL Super Bowl champion Shannon Sharpe made his feelings known on the national championship battle in both the men's basketball side and the women's basketball side on Monday, March 17.

During the latest episode of his sports talk show, "First Take," the 56-year-old gave his take on who he thinks will be winning on the men's side by showing his love lost for the Duke Blue Devils.

"Well, I want anybody other than Duke to win. So, I'mma go with you, Stephen A., I'll take Florida. I'll co-sign to Florida. I want anybody to win except Duke," Sharpe said. (0:06)

He then gave his reasoning as to why he doesn't favor the Cooper Flagg-led squad, sharing his love for their longtime rival.

"I don't like Duke 'cause they in the same conference as Carolina, and they have been beating Carolina the last couple of years. But, no," Shapre explained. (0:17)

For the women's side of things, Sharpe is putting his faith in the budding star out in the Southern side of California, JuJu Watkins.

"Oh, the women's side, I think it's going to be with the real USC standoff. Is it the Lady Trojans or the Lady Gamecocks? If my brother went to the Lady Gamecocks, I would take the Trojans.

"I just think JuJu, she going to have an unbelievable tourney. She going to have an unbelievable run. I think she cuts down the nets this year," he claimed. (0:29)

Perhaps it was an unfortunate sight for Sharpe to see the UNC Tar Heels go 0-3 in both the regular season and in the postseason against the Blue Devils this year. But, he surely enjoyed the gifted talents of Watkins and the USC Trojans.

Stephen A. Smith doesn't have national title favorites yet, but shares his predictions for the finalists

During the segment, renowned sports analyst Stephen A. Smith shared his take on who he thinks will be going all the way in both the men's and women's NCAA national championship game. But, he did reiterate that he doesn't have any title favorites just yet.

"I got Florida versus Duke meeting for the national title. That's what I got...Carolina's got to up their game, but I got Duke," Smith shared. (0:00)

Going to women's college basketball, Smith had the same take as Sharpe.

"I haven't decided who is going to win yet. But, I got USC meeting USC for the national title. South Carolina versus Southern California for the national title. JuJu Watkins going to be in the national title game. The showstopper," he asserted. (0:48)

The NCAA March Madness is slated to begin with the First Four of each sport, with men's basketball commencing on Tuesday, March 18, and women's basketball on Wednesday, March 19.