New Mexico State players to transfer in wake of sexual hazing scandal | Zagsblog
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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.
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Thursday / November 14.
  • New Mexico State players to transfer in wake of sexual hazing scandal

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    By ADAM ZAGORIA

    Several players will transfer out of New Mexico State in the wake of a sexual hazing scandal that triggered the university to end the team’s season.

    Redshirt guard Shahar Lazar announced via Twitter that he will transfer.

    “Having served several years in the Israeli military, I was raised on the value of excellence, discipline, respect, reliability and accountability,” he Tweeted. “However, in retrospect, I don’t believe the program that I originally committed to currently aligns with my beliefs and core values.”

    Shooting guard Kyle Feit was the first rotation player to announce his transfer plans.

    “My family instilled values in me that haven’t wavered, at at this time, I’m looking to find a place that aligns with them,” Feit posted.

    The hazing incident was reported on in depth by the Las Cruces Sun News:

    On Sunday, some of the disturbing details emerged through New Mexico State University Police Department documents.

    On Feb. 10, according to a redacted incident report, the victim reported “ongoing hazing being inflicted upon him while in the men’s basketball locker room at the Pan American Center.” He told police he wished to remain anonymous and did not wish to press charges at the time.

    The alleged victim named three teammates who had been directly involved in the hazing since July/August 2022. He stated the most recent incident occurred on Feb. 6 inside the locker room. He stated that the three named players held him facing down, removed his clothing, exposing his buttocks and began to “slap his a**.”

    He told police that they also touched his scrotum. The victim told police it had been an ongoing issue both at the Pan American Center and at away games. He told police he had no choice because it was a “3 on 1” type of situation. He told police that this conduct was usually done in front of the whole team and that no one intervened.

    New Mexico State University Chancellor Dan Arvizu said in a statement:

    “Hazing is a despicable act. It humiliates and degrades someone and has the potential to cause physical and emotional harm, or even death. Sadly, hazing can become part of an organization’s culture, if left unchecked. NMSU policy strictly prohibits hazing in all forms, and it’s something we simply will not tolerate.”

    The basketball team was 9-15, 2-10 in the WAC when the season was suspended.

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    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.

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