Following a tough loss to the Drake Bulldogs in the Wildcat Classic, Kansas State Basketball finds themselves in a rough spot.
In a post-game press conference, Kansas State forward Coleman Hawkins spoke about the backlash he’s personally received this season and how it’s affected himself and his teammates.
“I can’t go on my phone without people wishing the worst for me,” Hawkins said. “Not just for me, but for our team. It devastates me. I just went on my phone and saw someone say, ‘I hope you break your leg.’ That’s the kind of stuff that our team has been dealing with all year.”
The comments generated a lot of buzz on social media, which eventually resulted in the anonymous commenter being revealed. Unlike what was echoed by Hawkins and head coach Jerome Tang, the angry “fan” was not a Kansas State fan, he was just an angry individual who lost a sports bet.
The situation generated one of Kansas State’s all-time fan favorites, Bill Walker, to step in and provide some thoughts on the events that have taken place this season.
“The fans aren’t stupid,” Walker wrote. “You got paid, and they want production point blank, period!! Give the fans what they paid for!!!”
Hawkins noted as one of college basketball’s highest-earning athletes in the NIL space, has been solid in 2024-25, but the Wildcats have not been able to gel on the court. The team sits at 6-4 in the non-conference schedule with losses to LSU, Liberty, St. John’s, and Drake.
With just one game left in the non-con schedule to play vs. Wichita State, conference play is closing in fast on Jerome Tang and company. After missing the NCAA Tournament in 2023, it’s safe to say that fans are a little bit on edge due to last year’s results paired with a slow start this winter.
