Tuesday night’s matchup between the top-ranked Kansas Jayhawks and the Kentucky Wildcats was a thrilling headliner to the annual Champions Classic event with the blue bloods going back and forth all game.
Apparently, the same could be said for the scene before the game.
As the Kentucky players were waiting to take the court in a hallway at the United Center, the Kansas mascot, Big Jay, skipped by the players and gestured in their direction. It certainly looked like Big Jay flipped off the team, and Kareem Watkins responded with a similar gesture.
But there’s something just outrageous about a person in a big Jayhawk costume throwing obscene gestures at a basketball team.
KAREEM WATKINS (allegedly) JUST FLIPPED OFF THE JAYHAWK MASCOT!
I LOVE THIS TEAM! #BBN pic.twitter.com/VDR02rELAJ
— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) November 15, 2023
That really came out of nowhere. It was this meme, but in real life.
Hey, whatever it takes to throw off an opponent. After all, the Jayhawks went on to win, 89-84, for a 3-0 start to the season.
And while we can’t say for certain that Big Jay actually flipped off the Kentucky players (the angle and gloves make it tough to see), fans were definitely convinced that was what happened. College basketball is back!
This was how Twitter reacted
https://t.co/PmxcZdbTHO pic.twitter.com/ikb9hj7F0x
— Rare Rookies #BBN (@rarerookies) November 15, 2023
Big Jay wants all the smoke pic.twitter.com/YkbPvBxs7P
— Aint No Seats Podcast (@AintNoSeatsPod) November 15, 2023
Flipping the bird https://t.co/AMbOsbVE7o
— Glob Dabolina 🐻🍯 (@GlobDabolina) November 15, 2023
Oh my goodness WE ARE SO BACK https://t.co/m3ODSLswZ9
— Red Cup Kentucky (@KentuckyRedCup) November 15, 2023
— Rare Rookies #BBN (@rarerookies) November 15, 2023
In response to the mascot doing it first ..
— . (@thescotttt) November 15, 2023
