Kansas player shares hateful messages received after tough game
The Kansas Jayhawks’ disappointing season hit another low on Saturday with a tough 78-73 loss to No. 10 Texas Tech. However, the real blow came off the court for Zeke Mayo.
Mayo struggled in the game, shooting just 1-for-7 from the field and going 0-for-5 from beyond the arc. After the game, Mayo took to social media to take full responsibility for the loss. In a now-deleted post, he wrote, “I 100% deserve all the criticism in the world. My performance was beyond pitiful today, and has been for a while now. I work my a– off every day to be great, but I can’t be perfect all the time. I’m sorry to our fans and my teammates, I will continue to get better.”
Unfortunately, along with his apology came a barrage of hateful and racist messages directed at Mayo. Screenshots of the messages were shared online, showing derogatory language and death threats aimed at the young player. This prompted head coach Bill Self to issue a statement expressing his support for Mayo and condemning the hateful comments.
Self said, “The game today was a very good college basketball game. We played a very good team and we got beat. We had some individuals have exceptional individual games, and we had some maybe not play up to the standard they’ve set for themselves. But, everyone on our team, coaches included, myself, more than anyone, had opportunities to impact the game.”
He continued, “I’ll roll with these guys every day and be proud of it. Any criticism about the team should be directed at me. I’m the head coach.” Self emphasized the importance of focusing on basketball during this critical time of the season and not getting distracted by outside noise.
The Jayhawks currently hold a 19-10 record and are sitting in sixth place in the Big 12. Their chances of securing an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament are uncertain, given their recent struggles. Despite the challenges, Self remains confident in his team and is determined to push forward.
As the Jayhawks navigate the rest of their season, they will need to regroup and refocus in order to make a strong push for the postseason. The support of their coach and the resilience of their players will be crucial in overcoming adversity and finishing the season strong.
