The Virginia men's basketball team played a pair of games on the West Coast last month at California and Stanford. While on that trip, the coaches wore a special pair of sneakers for charity that also honored the late Chris Dembitz.
A famous fan known as Phony Bennett, Dembitz passed away in 2023 after a battle with cancer. He had teamed up previously with Locker Room Access to raise money for UVA Children's Hospital in honor of his daughter, who had recovered from childhood cancer. Here is the 'I Am Phony Bennett' campaign from 2020:
In an effort to continue to honor Dembitz's legacy, Locker Room Access and TW Huang teamed up with the coaching staff during that West Coast trip. The coaches wore the special sneakers and now fans can support the UVA Children's Hospital by bidding on the shoes through ebay. This will build on the previous 'I Am Phony Bennett' campaign. The auction is live at this link and will run through Sunday, Feb. 16.
Also available for auction at that link are Kobe "Girl Dad" sneakers that players wore plus some t-shirt samples. All are autographed as well. Proceeds from those items will support the players' NIL, something that Dembitz also supported.
The Cavaliers return to action on Saturday at the John Paul Jones Arena when they take on Georgia Tech at 5:30 p.m. UVA will recognize Tony Bennett, the inspiration for Phony Bennett's social media persona, with tributes throughout the game. Virginia will raise a banner in JPJ during a special ceremony at halftime and each fan will receive a commemorative replica banner. The special celebration is part of the program's Alumni Day as many former players, managers, and staff will be in attendance.
Fan(s) Of The Week
Go Hoos!
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JPJ for the win.
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Jacob Cofie has emerged as a freshman starter for the Virginia basketball team.
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