Creighton male basketball coach Greg McDermott, who had previously apologized for urging his players to “stay in the field” in a post-game conversation in the locker room after a weekend defeat, said on Wednesday that he had volunteered to resign because of your comments.
McDermott said on the radio show before Creighton’s game, before a 72-60 loss to No. 10 Villanova, that he had a long meeting with the players on Sunday night and said he saw “pain in their faces” and hopes that “an error doesn’t happen t define you.”
McDermott said he wanted to make sure the Bluejays wanted him to continue as a coach and apologized for the “distraction I brought to this team for the choice I made”.
McDermott said the Bluejays – whose players wear “equality” on the backs of their shirts – did not ask for his resignation.
“Our guys wanted me to train and that is my job,” said McDermott.
McDermott has been Creighton’s coach since 2010. McDermott, who is white, acknowledged saying after a defeat to Xavier on Saturday: “Guys, we have to be together. We need both feet inside. I need everyone to stay on the plantation. I may not let no one leave the plantation. “
The coach added that he apologized directly to Creighton’s president, Rev. Daniel Hendrickson, and sports director Bruce Rasmussen.
Creighton’s technical assistant, Terrence Rencher, who is black, tweeted that he was “deeply hurt” by McDermott’s words.
The school said any disciplinary action would remain confidential.
McDermott was on the sideline and received a fist bump from apparently everyone but a player while they ran out of the warm-up court before the game.
McDermott’s racially insensitive comments overshadowed what was expected to be a fantastic confrontation between the first two Big East teams. Instead, the Wildcats raced to a 19-point lead and won their seventh regular season title under coach Jay Wright for the past eight seasons.
Associated Press information was used in this report.