New York stars tell The Post about the vile ‘wild west’ of social media — and the ugly messages they’ve faced

New York athletes across baseball, football, and basketball are experiencing a barrage of vile and threatening messages on social media, which they describe as a "wild west." These messages, often sent anonymously by individuals who have lost money on bets related to games or player performance, include death threats, racist slurs, and personal attacks targeting players and their families. The problem has escalated significantly, with athletes like pitcher Ryne Stanek reporting daily death threats and Giants kicker Graham Gano highlighting how these online attacks have grown. Players such as Knicks star Jalen Brunson and Giants tackle Jermaine Eluemunor have faced deeply personal and disturbing messages, with Eluemunor's family, including his children, becoming targets. Athletes are developing coping mechanisms, including deleting messages, making their family members' social media private, and relying on team security. Some, like Nets rookie Egor Demin, try to avoid social media altogether. However, the impact on mental health is significant, with some players admitting to struggling and questioning their desire to play. The proliferation of legalized sports betting is seen as a major catalyst for ... download the app to read more