AFP staffer David Driver seems to have broken a story on an upcoming honor for retired UVA Basketball coach Tony Bennett.
David covered a recent Washington Wizards game in DC as an excuse to catch up with hoops alum Anthony Gill, who is in his sixth season with the local NBA franchise.
During the course of the interview, Gill let slip that he had been contacted about the Jan. 24 Virginia-North Carolina game at the John Paul Jones Arena, at which, he told David, the court at JPJ will be renamed in honor of Bennett.
ICYMI
Gill noted that he, unfortunately, won’t be able to be there, because the Wizards have a game that day in Charlotte.
David told me in an email exchange that he didn’t follow up on the note about the court-naming honor in the interview because he didn’t catch onto himself until he went back to transcribe the back-and-forth.
I had sworn to myself, and to David, in our exchange, that I had heard about the court-naming thing somewhere else, so I didn’t pay it a lot of attention.
Until a reader emailed to ask me why she wasn’t seeing anything about the upcoming Bennett honor anywhere else.
I checked, and, lo and behold, nothing.
So, I reached out to a UVA Athletics spokesperson, and got this in response:
“Thanks for reaching out. Nothing official to release at this time.”
That sounds like a backdoor confirmation to me.
The AFP Staffer of the Month for January 2026 award for one Mr. David Driver is pending.
The award comes with a plaque and a *coupon for half off a Burger King Whopper.
*With the purchase of fries and a drink.
Video: We all love Tony Bennett
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Chris Graham
