The NCAA men’s basketball tournament, better known as March Madness, has long been one of the most thrilling spectacles in college sports. Whether a top-seeded powerhouse dominates the bracket or a lower-ranked team pulls off a Cinderella run, the tournament is packed with high-stakes drama and unforgettable moments.
But for players, March Madness isn’t just about glory and excitement — it’s also about pressure. For many, this is their first taste of national championship contention. Every game could be the difference between advancing or going home, making each moment on the court a potential turning point in their careers.
Unfortunately, that pressure doesn’t end when the final buzzer sounds—especially in the age of social media and sports gambling.
RJ Luis faces harsh backlash after early tourney exit
St. John’s star RJ Luis jr. became the latest target of online criticism after his struggles in the Round of 32 against Arkansas. The Big East Player of the Year shot just 3-of-17 from the field and was benched in the final four minutes of a tight game.
His frustration was clear.
“It feels like we didn’t do anything, really. It sucks to lose the way we lost,” Luis admitted. “I let my teammates down.”
St. John’s ultimately fell to Arkansas, and within 24 hours of the loss, Luis had deleted his Instagram account — a move that highlighted the overwhelming negativity he faced online.
Head coach Rick Pitino refused to entertain questions about Luis’ performance in the post-game press conference. But the reality is, Luis wasn’t the only one struggling. St. John’s shot just 28 percent from the field and an abysmal 9.1 percent from three. It was a team-wide offensive collapse, yet much of the blame unfairly fell on one player’s shoulders.
The role of sports gambling in player harassment
Luis’s situation isn’t just about a bad shooting night — it’s part of a larger issue in today’s sports culture. Many have pointed to the rise of sports gambling as a direct factor in the harassment of college athletes.
TIME Magazine reports that March Madness is one of the most bet-on sporting events of the year, with millions wagering on individual performances. When players don’t meet expectations, those who placed losing bets lash out, often turning to social media to direct their anger at the very athletes they were rooting for minutes earlier.
At the end of the day, RJ Luis — and every athlete on that court — is just a kid playing the game they love.
The next time someone places a wager on a player, they should remember that these athletes are human. One bad game shouldn’t define their career, and it certainly shouldn’t subject them to online abuse.