Omaha, Neb. – Five Creighton basketball players revealed in a short pregame video on Saturday why coach Greg McDermott was hurt by his locker room talk after losing last Lost Weekend.
One sixth player did not speak in the video, with star guard Marcus Zagrowski saying after a 93–73 win over Butler that even though McDermott made a mistake with his words of choice, he loves and supports all his players is.
McDermott twice used the term “tree planting” as part of an analogy solicitation team unity. The university suspended McDermott indefinitely after losing to Villanova on Wednesday. Assistant coach Alan Hass Butler was the interim head coach of the game.
“I need everyone to stay on the plantation. MacDermot told the players after the February 27 loss to Xavier that a term for slavery and Anthelambam South was used on 27 February.
The Krytone players had not publicly commented about McDermott’s remarks until the five Black players spoke in a pregame video at the CHC Health Center.
“James Baldwin said that whatever has been faced cannot be changed, but nothing can be changed without being confronted,” the Christian bishop said in the beginning.
Sheriff Mitchell then stated, “For slaves, life on a plantation was full of mental, emotional, physical, psychological and sexual abuse.” You owned it as property and not human. The slaves had no rights and no voice. They were reared like cattle, forced from their motherland and stripped of their culture, language and basic human rights. He worked 18 hours six days a week. Any wrongdoing such as loss of productivity, non-adherence to instructions or resistance will result in beat or death and that’s why… ”
“Coach Mack hurt me and my teammates,” said Denzel Manny.
Antawan Jones then stated, “People talk about inequalities and equality but don’t really know what it means. And I think this is the beginning for a new conversation to happen in the future. Let’s keep educating each other and we keep moving forward. “
Damian Jefferson said, “If I had been your son, would that have been the case? Let’s not be right with racism. Let’s start the conversation.”
The video ended quietly with all Creighton players on the court in arms.
Later, “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, also known as the black national anthem, was played.
Neither team was on the court for the national anthem.
Zagrowski, unpublished, praised McDermott for the impact he has had since coming to campus, and said that the coach’s locker room comment should not define him.
“A lot of people in that locker room were hurt by it, and I was hurt by what I was saying,” Zegrovsky said. “At the same time, Coach Mac has been a great mentor to me and I know he will take a shot for me and everyone in that locker room, including the coaching staff.
“I know that everything he said was a very wrong mistake. Only I know that for me as a player it is everything, but more important as a human being. He loves me, he loves everyone in that locker room. He is my coach, I love that friend. People make mistakes, and he is my man. “
McDermott publicly apologized on Tuesday and again on Wednesday. Creighton athletic director Bruce Rasmussen said additional restrictions were being considered, neither of which would be made public.
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