Cam Newton and Travis Hunter go way back. The former Panthers QB recruited Travis for his C1N program in its formative years, playing a key role in shaping the two-way star we know today. But before joining, Travis needed some convincing, so Newton invited him over to his house. There, the highly touted prospect didn’t just hear a pitch; he made a statement by taking down his future mentor on the basketball court. Though Newton remembers things a bit differently.
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Travis recently had his former mentor on his podcast and was eager to hear Newton’s first-ever memory of him. As expected, Newton slipped into storyteller mode, recalling how he first learned about Travis through his best friend, Deshaun (not Deshaun Watson), before watching him play. Though he had some initial doubts, they quickly vanished once he watched Travis work his magic on the gridiron. Then came the house visit.
Travis left another strong impression there, especially during a scrimmage, even drawing attention from others asking for selfies. It surprised Newton because Travis was only in High School back then. But when it came to their friendly competition on the basketball court, Newton had no recollection. Until, of course, Travis made sure to remind him.
“I thought he was gonna (talk about the time) when I beat him in basketball,” he cheekily said.
The other co-host of the show was quite intrigued by this anecdote, even pushing the two to dive deeper. Travis laughed. However, Newton explained that he wasn’t even trying to win that game. He asserted that he was only trying to protect Travis, just like he was trying to protect him by recruiting for C1N, as he knew other programs wouldn’t treat a generational athlete the right way.
“It was still me protecting him… I wasn’t trying to really (win). Look at him (points to Travis),” Newton clapped back.
Travis then added context, saying that Newton showed no mercy in the second round and won. As expected from a Six-feet-five, 245-pound giant. On the other hand, Travis is 4 inches shorter than his mentor, but surely, he still put up a strong fight.
“At that second game, he crushed my confidence. I ain’t gonna lie to u,” Travis recounted.
We can’t say for sure how much tough love Newton showed Travis on that basketball court, but it worked. Travis went on to play in his 7v7 program, honing the two-way talents he hopes to carry into the NFL.
Travis is expected to be picked in the top three, but he could slide a little after prospects like Abdul Carter and Cam Ward improved their draft stocks significantly in recent weeks. Wherever he lands, it will be interesting to see if Newton shows up on draft day, where Travis will need the support.
Newton, a former Heisman winner, had stayed away from the ceremony for over a decade due to a feud with the committee. But he returned last year for Travis, so his attendance in Green Bay wouldn’t be surprising.
