Javion Hamlet's outrageously proud dad is the hero we needed on Day 1 of the NCAA Tournament
The best dad energy.
What’s magical about the NCAA Tournament — the reason so many people completely ignore the sport for months and then get fully engaged come mid-March — is that it’s fun to fill out brackets and maybe win money.
The second, but-still-magical reason is that it introduces us to teams we rarely ever think about and players we’ve never heard of. Such is the case with Javion Hamlet of the North Texas Mean Green, a No. 13 seed that moved on by beating the fourth-seeded Purdue Boilermakers 78-69 Friday night.
The senior guard led his team with 24 points, including a beautiful left-handed floater after working into the lane in overtime.
We have an Upset! 13 seed North Texas beats 4 seed Purdue in a 78-69 win to move to the round of 32! This is their first tournament win in school history! More big upsets to come! Who will be next?!
SPIRE Player of The Game:
G Javion Hamlet (UNT)- 24 pts, 12 reb, 5 ast pic.twitter.com/9vpjb4watE— S.P.I.R.E Media Group (@SPIREpdcast) March 20, 2021
His dad Louis, situated in the stands with an amazing sweatshirt, went nuts:
Stars of the NCAA Tournament
1. Max Abmas
2. Javion Hamlet’s dad pic.twitter.com/bvhMp2pRIM— Bobby Reagan (@BarstoolReags) March 20, 2021
We need to talk about how Peak Dad
Javion Hamlet’s dad is.
Photo of his son on his shirt AND taking photos and video with the iPad.
Dad power. pic.twitter.com/NldW7Owl2o
— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) March 20, 2021
Oh yeah, this is the dad energy I need. Everything about this tournament is bizarre. The lack of fans. The risk of coronavirus infection for unpaid players. The thought of spending three weeks in Indianapolis.
Seeing a father live out a dream like this doesn’t erase those larger concerns, of course, but at least it’s something to hold onto. I mean, look at this guy.
No one was more hyped for the North Texas win than Javion Hamlet’s dad
@MeanGreenMBB | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/ahqi27jZXO
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) March 20, 2021
That sweatshirt!
Javion Hamlet's dad showed up to the North Texas game with a sweater listing all of his son's accomplishments
pic.twitter.com/DbheJMMTtF
— SB Nation (@SBNation) March 20, 2021
Hamlet was lightly recruited out of Memphis, went the JUCO route and eventually landed at Buffalo when Nate Oats was coach there. He lasted only a few months, went back to JUCO and ended up at North Texas, where he won Conference USA player of the year last season.
In case you're just seeing Javion Hamlet now for the first time as he buries shots in the NCAA Tournament, here's more on the player that didn't have a single D-1 offer and was told no by several JUCOs as well.
29-20 UNT.
Link: https://t.co/C2zn4H4pjR
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) March 20, 2021
Hamlet’s one of the great stories of the first day of the NCAA Tournament, leading the Mean Green to their first win in this event, and suddenly I can’t wait to watch his next game.
I also can’t wait to see what his dad wears next time out. Hopefully there’s an artist in Indy up to the task of creating an updated masterpiece, maybe with a photo of that nifty overtime shot.
