Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Creighton suspends Greg McDermott from ‘all team activities’ after ‘plantation’ comment
By ADAM ZAGORIA
Creighton announced Thursday night that it has suspended head coach Greg McDermott from “all team activities” going forward in light of his recent racially insensitive comment and that assistant Alan Huss will serve as interim head coach.
The Bluejays host Butler Saturday in their regular-season finale and then head to New York for the Big East Tournament next week at Madison Square Garden. They are projected as a 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, per ESPN’s Joe Lunardi.
A statement from Bruce Rasmussen regarding the Creighton’s Men’s Basketball Program: pic.twitter.com/BJAN7bHGV3
On Tuesday, McDermottissued an apology for making a reference to a “plantation” in the locker room after his team’s 77-69 loss to Xavier on Saturday.
“Guys, we got to stick together,” he said he told the players. “We need both feet in. I need everybody to stay on the plantation. I can’t have anybody leave the plantation.”
It’s unclear if McDermott meant to use the word “reservation” instead of “plantation,” but that phrase is not considered politically correct, either.
In a Twitter post on Tuesday, McDermott said he “immediately recognized my egregious mistake and quickly addressed my use of such insensitive words with the team.”
McDermott offered his resignation but the players reportedly did not want that.
“If they would have chosen to have me walk away, I would have walked away. But that is not what they wanted,” he said in a radio interview that aired Wednesday.
No players have come out publicly to support McDermott, who was allowed to coach in Wednesday’s game at No. 10 Villanova, which the Bluejays lost, 72-60.
Social media responses to the suspension are somewhat split, with some saying McDermott should be allowed to learn from his mistake and grow and that Creighton lacks “compassion, empathy and forgiveness” for its actions.
@Creighton@BluejayMBB@bdrass I am beyond disappointed in how you have handled of this. You have lost me as a long time season ticket holder and university donor by what I consider a “deplorable” lack of Jesuit compassion, empathy and forgiveness for @cucoachmac
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.