Mark Adams Steps Down as Texas Tech Head Coach After ‘Racially Insensitive’ Comments

Mark Adams, who was suspended for the use of racially insensitive comments, is no longer the head coach of the Texas Tech men’s basketball team.

Brian Hamilton of The Athletic relayed a statement revealing Adams stepped down from his position:

“My lifelong goal was to help and be a positive influence on my players, and to be a part of the Texas Tech men’s basketball team,” Adams said as part of the statement. “However, both the University and I believe this incident has become a distraction for the Texas Tech men’s basketball team and the University, which I care about so deeply.”

ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Pete Thamel reported Sunday that Texas Tech suspended Adams for the use of an “inappropriate, unacceptable, and racially insensitive comment” while reportedly trying to encourage a player to be more open to coaching.

The school said he made the comment when he “referenced Bible verses about workers, teachers, parents, and slaves serving their masters.”

While Borzello and Thamel cited a source who said Adams apologized to the team, the former head coach told Jeff Goodman of Stadium he didn’t apologize but only explained the situation to the players.

“One of my coaches said it bothered the player,” Adams said. “I explained to them. I didn’t apologize.”

Goodman also reported on another incident that happened this year in which the head coach spit on a player. Adams explained it by saying he had a bad cough and accidentally got saliva on the player, but another person alleged the coach said, “I can spit on you whenever I want to.”

The 2022-23 campaign was Adams’ second as the head coach of the Red Raiders. He was previously the director of basketball operations and an assistant coach.

Texas Tech was unable to build on last season’s Sweet 16 appearance and went 16-16 overall and 5-13 in Big 12 play. It lost 78-62 to West Virginia in Wednesday’s Big 12 tournament game, finishing its season with four consecutive losses.