UVA’s Bennett cites state of game for retirement

Jeff Borzello, ESPN Staff WriterOct 18, 2024, 12:37 PM ETClose Basketball recruiting insider.
Joined ESPN in 2014.
Graduate of University of Delaware.Former Virginia men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett, who officially announced his retirement Friday morning, pointed to the “current environment” in college sports as one of the driving forces behind his abrupt decision to step down with the Cavaliers.”The hardest thing to say is when I looked at myself and I realized I’m no longer the best coach to lead this program in this current environment,” Bennett said at his retirement news conference. “If you’re going to do it, you gotta be all-in. If you do it halfhearted, it’s not fair to the university and those young men. So in looking at it, that’s what made me step down.”Editor’s PicksBennett, 55, has long bemoaned the direction of college athletics and increased emphasis on the transfer portal and name, image and likeness.”I think it’s right for student-athletes to receive revenue….