Texas State University is investigating allegations against men's head basketball coach Danny Kaspar after a former player released a detailed list of "racially insensitive things" that Kaspar is purported to have said to members of the team. Athletic director Larry Teis said in a statement on Friday that the investigation will be handled through its Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX.
"I am aware of the allegations of former Texas State University men's basketball players regarding racially biased comments attributed to men's basketball head coach Danny Kaspar personally find these allegations deeply troubling," Teis began in the statement.
"I, and the entire Department of Athletics staff, take the concerns expressed by our former student-athletes very seriously. At my request, the university has launched a formal investigation through the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX. It is our top priority to fully cooperate with the investigation.
The Department of Athletics is committed to strengthening our university culture that values and supports diversity, equity and inclusion for our student-athletes, staff, and community."
Former Texas State guard Jaylen Shead shared a list of remarks that Kaspar is alleged to have made toward his players in a Twitter post that has garnered widespread attention.
"I spent two years at Texas State," Shead wrote. "For me, the experience was shocking. I could overlook the way coach Kaspar treated players in most regards. I could overlook the lies he fed us to get us there and to keep us there. I could overlook the way he disregarded the rules and our health. But I could not turn away from the many racially insensitive things that were said to me and other teammates."
With all this going on, let’s talk about what I and other players dealt w playing 🏀 for Danny Kaspar at Texas State. Many asked why the starting PG on a 25 win, 1st place contender team would transfer before his senior szn.. well👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/Du2VSSOKMl
— JaylenShead™️ (@thejayyshead) June 4, 2020
Kaspar has coached Texas State to a 119-109 record in seven seasons after spending 13 years coaching Stephen F. Austin. While some of his former players confirmed Shead's version of events, others have come to Kaspar's defense.
"He made sure myself and other black student-athletes graduated and often went above and beyond to make sure we succeeded," Eddie Williams, who played for Kaspar at Stephen F. Austin, said. "He is a tough coach to play for but through that exterior, he is one of the kindest human beings I've ever met. I owe a lot of my success in life to him."
