In the world of college basketball, the role of a hype person has become increasingly significant. Amani Bartlett, a junior forward for LSU, has taken on this role with enthusiasm and creativity. Before each game, Bartlett engages in a series of personalized handshakes with her teammates during introductions, each handshake reflecting the unique personality of the player. This ritual serves as a way to energize and focus the team before the game begins.
Across the basketball landscape, this practice of personalized handshakes is common. Players like KJ Keatts from North Carolina State and Kareem Watkins from Kentucky have embraced this tradition, using it as a way to build camaraderie and maintain engagement, even when not on the court. Sterling Knox from Creighton, who is redshirting this season, has found his niche as the team's choreographer and historian, bringing a mix of basketball and dance to the pregame routine.
