To replace Gibbs, Seton Hall lands 1st openly gay D-I hoops player
By Zach Braziller
May 17, 2015 | 9:34pm
Derrick Gordon Photo: AP
Seton Hall replaced Sterling Gibbs Sunday afternoon with UMass graduate transfer Derrick Gordon, the first openly gay men’s basketball player.
The Plainfield, N.J., native, who played for powerhouse St. Patrick alongside NBA players Kyrie Irving and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, came out last year and enjoyed a solid season, averaging 9.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Gordon, who is eligible immediately, is a much-needed piece, a rugged defender, and selfless teammate who should mesh nicely with rising sophomore guards Isaiah Whitehead and Khadeen Carrington.
The 6-foot-3 guard broke the news on Sunday, tweeting: “It’s been a long recruiting process…But happy to say I will be going to Seton Hall University!!!…Can’t wait to play for Coach [Kevin] Willard.”
Gordon met the team on Sunday, a source said, before make his commitment.
“As long as I’m accepted, that’s all that really matters to me,” he told WSOU, the school’s radio station.
Gordon said Jason Collins, the former Nets player who became the first openly gay NBA player, inspired him to come out. Gibbs, Seton Hall’s leading scorer last season, announced his decision to finish his career at UConn on Saturday.
The news of Gordon’s arrival comes at an interesting time for the school and its athletic department.
The Rev. Warren Hall announced on Twitter Friday morning he was fired as the school’s director of campus ministry for supporting the “NOH8″ campaign on his Facebook page. Hall was a chaplain for many of Seton Hall’s athletic teams.
The campaign began as a silent protest of California’s passing of a proposition that amended that state’s constitution to ban gay marriage in 2008.
http://nypost.com/2015/05/17/to-replace-gibbs-seton-hall-lands-1st-openly-gay-d-i-hoops-player/
By Zach Braziller
May 17, 2015 | 9:34pm
Derrick Gordon Photo: AP
Seton Hall replaced Sterling Gibbs Sunday afternoon with UMass graduate transfer Derrick Gordon, the first openly gay men’s basketball player.
The Plainfield, N.J., native, who played for powerhouse St. Patrick alongside NBA players Kyrie Irving and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, came out last year and enjoyed a solid season, averaging 9.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Gordon, who is eligible immediately, is a much-needed piece, a rugged defender, and selfless teammate who should mesh nicely with rising sophomore guards Isaiah Whitehead and Khadeen Carrington.
The 6-foot-3 guard broke the news on Sunday, tweeting: “It’s been a long recruiting process…But happy to say I will be going to Seton Hall University!!!…Can’t wait to play for Coach [Kevin] Willard.”
Gordon met the team on Sunday, a source said, before make his commitment.
“As long as I’m accepted, that’s all that really matters to me,” he told WSOU, the school’s radio station.
Gordon said Jason Collins, the former Nets player who became the first openly gay NBA player, inspired him to come out. Gibbs, Seton Hall’s leading scorer last season, announced his decision to finish his career at UConn on Saturday.
The news of Gordon’s arrival comes at an interesting time for the school and its athletic department.
The Rev. Warren Hall announced on Twitter Friday morning he was fired as the school’s director of campus ministry for supporting the “NOH8″ campaign on his Facebook page. Hall was a chaplain for many of Seton Hall’s athletic teams.
The campaign began as a silent protest of California’s passing of a proposition that amended that state’s constitution to ban gay marriage in 2008.
http://nypost.com/2015/05/17/to-replace-gibbs-seton-hall-lands-1st-openly-gay-d-i-hoops-player/