Recruit Kalin Bennett officially becomes the first student-athlete with autism to sign a national letter to play in the NCAA at the Division 1 level. When Bennett graduated high school, Bennett was told that he will probably never walk or talk again.
Bennett as of now is listed at 6-10, 300 pounds is going to be expected to make big time contributions to the Kent State basketball team and it is clear that his intentions go beyond just the basketball court.
I want to make an impact not just on the court, but with kids that are struggling with the same things I am. 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.
He goes on to talk about other autistic kids and how he wants to make it a fun environment for everyone.
"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," he said. "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 will be attending a Kent State where he is known as a rebounding machine and someone that will be able to compete right away.
Photo: Cleveland.com screenshot