OMAHA, Neb. – Five Creighton men’s basketball players explained in a short pregame video on Saturday why they were injured by coach Greg McDermott’s comments in his locker room conversation after a loss last weekend.
A sixth player who didn’t speak in the video, star guard Marcus Zegarowski, said after Saturday’s 93-73 win over Butler that while McDermott made a mistake with his choice of words, he loves and supports all of his players.
McDermott used the term “plantation” twice as part of his comments urging team unity. The university suspended McDermott indefinitely on Thursday after he coached at Villanova on Wednesday. Assistant coach Alan Huss was interim head coach for the Butler game.
“I need everyone to stay on the plantation. I can’t let anyone leave the plantation,” McDermott told players after a loss at Xavier on February 27, using a term reminiscent of slavery and the pre-war South.
Creighton players had not publicly responded to McDermott’s comments until five black players spoke in the pregame video at the CHI Health Center Arena.
“James Baldwin said that not everything that faces can be changed, but nothing can be changed without being faced,” Bluejays forward Christian Bishop said at the outset.
Guard Shereef Mitchell then said, “For slaves, life on a plantation was filled with mental, emotional, physical, psychological and sexual abuse. You were property and not human. Slaves had no rights and no voice. They were branded as cattle.” forced from their homeland and stripped of their culture, language and basic human rights, they worked 18 hours a day six days a week Any sign of misconduct, such as lack of productivity, disregard of instructions or resistance, would result in assault or defiance. dead and that’s the reason … “
“What Coach Mac said hurt me and my teammates,” said security guard Denzel Mahoney.
Security guard Antwann Jones then said, “People talk about inequalities and equality but don’t really know what it means to be equal. And I feel like this is the beginning of a new conversation to be had in the future. Let’s go. continue to educate everyone else, and let’s continue to grow. “
Attacker Damien Jefferson said, “If I were your son, would it matter? Let’s disagree with racism. Let’s start the conversation.”
The video ended in silence, with all the Creighton players arm in arm on the field.
Then ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’, also known as the black national anthem, was played.
Neither team was on the field for the national anthem.
Zegarowski, uninvited, praised McDermott for the impact he’s made on him since arriving on campus and that the coach’s comments in the locker room shouldn’t define him.
“A lot of the guys in that locker room hurt, and what he said hurt me,” Zegarowski said. At the same time, Coach Mac has been a huge mentor to me, and I know he would take a bullet for me and everyone in that locker room, including the coaching staff.
“I know he made a big mistake with what he said. Only I know everything he has done for me as a player, but more important as a person. He loves me; he loves everyone in that locker room. That’s my coach. “I love that guy. People make mistakes, and that’s my husband.”
McDermott apologized again Tuesday and Wednesday.
Creighton athletic director Bruce Rasmussen said additional sanctions are being considered, which will not be made public.