New Mexico St player: ‘First it hurts, then it changes you’
By EDDIE PELLS
AP National Writer
Two former New Mexico State basketball players who said they were sexually assaulted by teammates spoke about the deep impact their time at the Las Cruces school had on them. Deuce Benjamin broke down in tears as he said, “first it hurts, then it changes you.” His teammate, Shak Odunewu, says he hopes he and Benjamin will have the strength to move forward. The players sued the school, their former coaches and three former teammates. They say the teammates sexually assaulted them on multiple occasions and when they took their complaints to coaches and authorities, those people did nothing.
