Autistic College Basketball Player from Little Rock Wrongly Searched in Class Over Ringing Phone That Wasn’t His

The teacher also failed to confront Victim's mother.

October 1, 2026

This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on September 19, 2026

Sonja Bennett, the mother of former Kent State men’s basketball player Kalin Bennett, took her concerns to Social Media on Sunday, suggesting that her son has allegedly been mistreated both as an athlete and a student.

Bennett, who was the first known player with autism to sign an NCAA Division I national letter, faced an incident during a class when a phone started ringing.

The professor mistakenly thought it was Bennett’s. He later approached Kalin, pat him dow,n and even searched his pockets “like he was a criminal,” according to Sonja Bennett, the College athlete’s Mother.

Sonja, unsurprisingly, expressed a deep frustration over the incident, as the university took no action. “Everybody has been contacted, from the ruler to the tutor. I went through the protocol and contacted everyone. They kept passing me off person to person to person. Everybody on campus knows what happened,” she said.

Another incident that truly boiled the blood of Sonja is when the head coach of the Golden Flashes Basketball team of the University violated the health privacy laws of her Autistic Son.

Multiple Instances of Alleged Mistreatment

The coach reportedly discussed a personal health matter of Kalin in front of the squad during the team practice. “It was a violation of HIPAA laws, and defamation of character,” she said.

.Bennett played for the Golden Flashes as a freshman in the 2019–20 season and began the following season with the team, but he entered the NCAA transfer portal in late December 2026 after limited playing time this season.

However, the family said Kalin was still enrolled in the classes, as they were living in the Kent area.

Sonja Bennett also shared a heartbreaking experience from the Autism Awareness men’s basketball game, for Kalin’s honors, as he was not being invited to play. She said, “He should have been invited to make an appearance.”

Responding to the alleged claims, Eric Mansfield, Assistant Vice President for Content Strategy and Communications at the University, released a statement on February 22, 2026.

“Kalin Bennett is a valued member of our community and we will honor the scholarship he currently holds. If Kalin chooses to pursue his education elsewhere, we will fully support him through the transfer process. We take any and all accusations of inappropriate conduct seriously and are looking into the matter.”

Kalin later transferred to Morehouse College and played for the Morehouse Maroon Tigers basketball team as a junior center during the 2026-22 season.

He also graduated from the same College, which is located in Atlanta, Georgia. Although Kalin has experienced a few ups and downs during his time at Kent State, he is now an inspiration to thousands of children and people on the autism spectrum.

The former college athlete and his family also founded the SpeKTrum50 Foundation to support awareness and provide resources to needy families.

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Anish Koirala has loved sports since he was a kid. He grew up playing basketball and soccer, and that passion stayed with him over the years. Today, Anish works as a writer and editor, sharing his knowledge and love for the game through articles and stories. He uses his playing experience to make his writing clear, thoughtful, and fun to read.

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