John E. Moore III/Getty Images
Texas Tech suspended men’s basketball coach Mark Adams for “the use of an inappropriate, unacceptable and racially insensitive comment last week.”
CJ Moore of The Athletic shared the announcement:
CJ Moore @CJMooreHoops
Texas Tech has just announced suspension of Mark Adams for an inappropriate racially-sensitive comment he made to a player last week. pic.twitter.com/ymNh5aQ51h
“On Friday, Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt was made aware of an incident regarding a coaching session between Adams and a member of the men’s basketball team,” the announcement read.
“Adams was encouraging the student-athlete to be more receptive to coaching and referenced Bible verses about workers, teachers, parents and slaves serving their masters. Adams immediately addressed this with the team and apologized.”
Adams—who said he explained the situation but did not apologize—told Jeff Goodman of Stadium, “I was quoting the scripture. One of my coaches said it bothered the player.”
Goodman noted Texas Tech is also investigating a separate incident from this season in which the head coach spit on a player.
Adams told Goodman he had a cough and accidentally got saliva on the player, but another source said the head coach responded by saying, “I can spit on you whenever I want to.”
Yet Adams said, “I don’t remember even saying that.”
This is Adams’ second season as the head coach of Texas Tech, although he was previously the director of basketball operations and an assistant coach with his alma mater. The Red Raiders are just 16-15 overall and 5-13 in the Big 12 after finishing their regular season with a three-game losing streak.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Jeff Borzello reported the coach was “already under pressure from influential people around the program … due to Texas Tech’s disappointing season.”
The Red Raiders face West Virginia on Wednesday in the first round of the Big 12 tournament.
