Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Cowardly Hoops Fans Rip Bennett on Twitter (UPDATED)
**I could update this with still more profane and inane Twitter comments, but why bother? Instead, this post has been updated with Anthony’s responses to the stupidity.**
Keep in mind that Anthony Bennett is a high school senior — a teenager — at Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep.
Yet after SNY.tv broke the news Sunday night that the 6-foot-7 Bennett had eliminated Kentucky from his college list and is now down to UNLV and Oregon, some college basketball “fans” took to Twitter to insult and rip him.
“you made the worst decision life your are clearly mentaly ill going to a sh—- team hopefully you play Uk you need an A–whooping,” some clown named @Craig37466188 wrote.
“So you chose money over the cleaner program. Have fun riding the bench at UK. You were average in HS and will be average at UK,” wrote @DaSaffell.
“Amile Jefferson will be better at UK then you would. At UK we like championships and unselfishness. Something you won’t have,” wrote @Ademetree1281.
Khem Birch, Bennett’s friend and potential future UNLV teammate, chimed in with, “lmao !! Don’t worry about the twitter thugs bro !!!”
Tweeted Bennett himself on Tuesday: “I could careless about the people talking & wishing bad on me, at the end of the day ima do me regardless.”
Bennett added that he would decide between UNLV and Oregon “this weekend.”
“I appreciate everyone that’s supportin me through all this but I haven’t made my decision yet, ill pick between UNLV & Oregon on the weeknd.”
Kentucky just won its eighth national championship and has the No. 1 or No. 2 recruiting class (depending whom you ask) in the land for 2012 with Nerlens Noel, Archie Goodwin, Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley.
Bennett surely would have enhanced that class and potentially caused Kentucky to leapfrog UCLA for No. 1 in the ESPN.com rankings.
But he chose to cross them off his list for reasons he deemed appropriate for his life and his future.
That’s his business.
To be clear, it reflects badly on fans of any school who feel it’s their God-given right to insult, abuse and even threaten high school kids who play a sport.
It’s sad and pathetic that many of them hide behind anonymous Twitter or messageboard names.
They’re cowards and bullies, plain and simple.
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
**I could update this with still more profane and inane Twitter comments, but why bother? Instead, this post has been updated with Anthony’s responses to the stupidity.**
Keep in mind that Anthony Bennett is a high school senior — a teenager — at Henderson (Nev.) Findlay Prep.
Yet after SNY.tv broke the news Sunday night that the 6-foot-7 Bennett had eliminated Kentucky from his college list and is now down to UNLV and Oregon, some college basketball “fans” took to Twitter to insult and rip him.
“you made the worst decision life your are clearly mentaly ill going to a sh—- team hopefully you play Uk you need an A–whooping,” some clown named 