Branches Book

BRANCHES

weren't rooting for Duke, and his ability to just play basketball was his strongest attribute. Christian had a certain grit about him, and he was targeted for having this grit, and the fact that he went to Duke didn't help. When he hit “the shot” against Kentucky to assemble a final four run, he was hated. Ultimately he was hated because he was just too good.

Author’s Statement: Adam Stanton

When I was in fourth grade, physical education was joining a school athletics team for gym credit. It didn't matter what experience you had, but there were different skilled teams for each sport. Being a competitive person, I wanted to be on the very best team for each sport, and I became devoted to getting better and better. I envisioned myself being an NFL football player at the time, but once I played tackle football in middle school, I decided I didn't like getting hit, and I didn't like people trying to injure me without being penalized. I started playing basketball that next season, and I fell in love with the game. My love of basketball extended to learning everything I could about the sport, which lead me to Christian Laettner. He was the most hated player in all of college basketball and it intrigued me. I spent many occasions trying to find an explanation. While many hate Christian Laettner, I admire him. The resilience and the sacrifice that he demonstrated through out his career has lead me to write about him, his accomplishments, and his hard work.

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