A violent incident occurred during a girls’ basketball game in California last week.
One of the teams participating, the SoCal Blaze, found itself up by double digits over Dream Academy late in their game. During a particular sequence, a SoCal Blaze player took a three and missed. She seemed to get bumped on the play. Mere seconds later, the same girl who took the shot violently swung with a sucker punch at the other team’s 15-year-old guard.
The 15-year-old girl crumpled to the ground instantly.
The video immediately went viral.
In the aftermath, the victim’s mother shared a lengthy post on Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
The “I don’t care how famous you are” line stood out to a lot of folks, but nobody could figure out what it truly meant until Thursday.
As it turns out, the aggressor in this case is actually the daughter of former Chicago Bulls player Corey Benjamin. In a conversation with Vikki Vargas of NBCLA, he apologized profusely for his child’s actions.
“To the young lady who was punched by my daughter during a youth basketball game, I sincerely apologize to you and I am praying for your complete healing both physically and emotionally,” he said. “To her family, I deeply apologize and regret that this happened to your daughter as she did not deserve this to happen to her. Finally, I apologize to all of those who have been impacted and hurt by the actions of my daughter as well as those of her mother. I am here for your family and wish only the best for you.
“As a father, I’m shocked and disappointed at my daughter’s behavior as this is not a reflection of the values and standards that my family holds. Nor does it exemplify the values, character and spirit of sportsmanship that the game of basketball requires. My daughter made a mistake. One that she will need to make right. I am committed to getting my daughter any help she may need and support her in taking accountability for her conduct.”
That’s one way to do it. https://t.co/ZtCs3UUs3P
— Game 7 (@game7__) November 11, 2021
Benjamin was taken by the Bulls in the first round back in 1998 and ultimately played five seasons for the franchise. After a brief stint with the Hawks in 2003 he went on to play overseas for the next five or so years.
Youth sporting events have become a breeding ground for violent interactions. Hopefully at some point parents step up, do their jobs and put an end to the madness at these things.
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A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
