FORSYTH COUNTY, N.C. — A high school basketball standout found himself the target of a racial remark on Snapchat.
This comes after an annual rivalry Friday night matchup between Forsyth Country Day and Greensboro Day high schools.
The video was directed to Forsyth Country Day School basketball star Bobby Cannon.
He says it happened after a basketball game Friday when the two rival schools played each other.
For Cannon, who’s set to play basketball at the University of New Orleans this fall after he graduates, basketball is his pathway to a brighter future, especially after the loss of his father last year from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, aka Lou Gehrig's disease.
“It mean a lot to me, because it’s a way for me to get my family out of Winston-Salem. I’m the first person in my family to go to school for something big,” Cannon added.
Even the pathway to success comes with adversity.
“I’ve seen the video. It bothered me,” Cannon said.
Cannon and his aunt, Crystal Hopper, who’s his biggest cheerleader, say it hurts to watch the video of a Greensboro Day School student who’s heard calling Cannon the “N” word.
“To know that someone hates you that bad because you’re that good, it breaks my heart. I’m sorry,” Hopper said.“To know that someone hates you that bad because you’re that good, it breaks my heart. I’m sorry,” Hopper said.
Cannon says friends sent him the video after his school, Forsyth Country Day defeated its rival Greensboro Day School Friday night. He says there was a lot of trash talking on the court and sometimes games can get hostile but not to this level.
“Just seeing that video, it just made me think, 'are ya’ll putting on a persona for me in my face and behind my back?' Is it a different lifestyle?” Cannon asked.
In a statement, Dr. Tracie Catlett, the head of Greensboro Day School, said in part, “I watched the video myself and was horrified, sad and disappointed by the hurtful words used. I would like to remind our community that GDS stands against racism and hate in all forms.”
“I’m an emotional person. I was furious to know that we’re still dealing with this. And like I said, it hits differently when it’s your family,” Hopper said.
Though GDS leaders say they did take disciplinary action, Cannon says the advice he received from his father before his passing is the reason Cannon still remains calm.
“Your reaction is what they going to look at. So, if I reacted anyway toward anything that’s going to be the big headline, so I just got to stay calm and keep my peace,” Cannon said.
