Christian Laettner on Fab Five criticism: ‘Never disrespect your opponent’ (Video)

Mar 21, 2011, 2:14 PM EDT

Christian Laettner was the latest to speak out in the Michigan-Duke war of words, speaking with Jay Crawford on ESPN2′s First Take this morning. And while Laettner didn’t seem upset by comments from Jalen Rose and Jimmy King, in which the ex-Michigan players called him names during an ESPN documentary, he did have one particularly telling comment.

“All I can say is this,” Laettner told Crawford. “When you play against people the worst thing you can do is underestimate your opponent and to disrespect your opponent. All it does is set you up for failure. … When you play for Coach K, he really emphasizes, do not disrespect the other team. Do not underestimate your opponent.”

While acknowledging that Rose calling him “a b***h” was only something from the past, which he laughed off, Laettner is also saying that the attitude the Fab Five had toward Duke at the time set them up for failure. By Michigan thinking that he and his teammates were soft, Duke already had the upper hand. Too bad Steve Fisher, or someone, couldn’t have taught the Wolverines about that whole “disrespect” thing.