Division I Basketball Team Signs NCAA's First Autistic Player
A high school basketball star in Little Rock, Arkansas, is breaking down barriers. Kalin Bennett, a 6-foot-10 center, became the first player with autism to sign a letter of intent to play a Division I sport, according to the NCAA.
Bennett received a scholarship to play basketball at Kent State in the fall. The Ohio school plays in the Mid-American Conference.
Once labeled a child who might never speak or walk, Kalin Bennett is readying himself to break new ground. Earlier this month, he became the first student-athlete with autism to sign a national letter of intent to play a team sport at the NCAA D I level. https://t.co/jgJDPkI8UC
— clevelanddotcom (@clevelanddotcom) November 25, 2018
Bennett, who was once labeled a child who might never speak or walk, is about to break new ground, according to a feature Sunday in The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
“I want to make an impact not just on the court, but with kids that are struggling with the same things I am,” Bennett told The Plain Dealer. “I want to use this platform to inspire other kids with autism and non-autism. I want to let them know, hey, if I can do this, you can do it too. A lot of times they feel alone and by themselves, and I felt that same way growing up.”
Bennett graduated from Little Rock Christian Academy in the spring. He was the 655th-ranked prospect in the nation and 12th-ranked prospect in Arkansas, according to MaxPreps. He is currently attending Link Year Prep in Branson, Missouri, a prep school. His mom, Sonja Bennett, moved to Branson to be near her son.
When Bennett was first diagnosed with autism as a baby, his therapist did not think he would ever be able to walk or speak.
In fact, he did not sit up until he was 2 years old and did not walk until he was 4, according to The Plain Dealer. He did not talk until he was 7 and did not hold a conversation until he was 8.
And now he is set to play Division I college basketball.
Bennett was recruited by several schools but chose Kent State because of its commitment to support kids with autism on its campus.
“Going there and seeing that (support) opened some doors I haven’t really thought about in a while,” he said.
“I want to be able to make a place where (autistic) kids can just come by, have fun, don’t feel no fear being around other people — be able to express themselves, be able to be who they are without worrying about what people think about them or how they process stuff,” Bennett said.
Kent State officials were as impressed with Bennett as he was with the university.
“He is really a phenomenal human being,” said Gina Campana, assistant director of Kent State’s Autism Initiative for Research, Education and Outreach. “A light emanates from this young man. We’re going to be lucky to get him at Kent State.”
Kent State made history with the signing of Kalin Bennett.
He became the first athlete diagnosed with autism to get a D1 scholarship ? pic.twitter.com/Wrrsmt0GDt
— Athlete Swag (@AthleteSwag) November 29, 2018
His mom will now find a job in Kent and move there to be near her son.
“I talked to (Kent State) coach (Rob Senderoff), and I was like, ‘Unless my mom comes, I ain’t coming,'” Bennett said. “The separation anxiety really doesn’t upset me no more, but at the same time, I still like that support. Even when I have the best day of my life, I still want to make sure I see my mom’s face.”
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