While ESPN attempted to keep it a secret, Louisville radio host John Ramsey reported Muhammad Ali’s daughter, Laila Ali, would be the celebrity guest picker.
ESPN confirmed the report just a few minutes before the picks segment.
The selection went along with the theme at the Florida State-Louisville game paying tribute to Ali. Given it was the first major sporting event in Louisville since Ali’s death, the university wanted to pay tribute to the former boxer. While he did not attend the university, he was a big supporter of Louisville given it was located in his hometown.
The school featured butterfly decals on their helmets as a way to pay tribute to Ali. The decals were inspired by his famous quote “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”
Laila came onto the set with a t-shirt with a photo of her father along with the butterfly logo. She followed in her father’s footsteps as a professional boxer.
She also has an allegiance to football given her husband is former NFL player Curtis Conway. Laila went with Louisville with her final pick and Lee Corso followed suit by putting on the Cardinal headgear.
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