Eddie Lampkin situation is another stain on TCU’s most anticipated basketball season
Lampkin left the team on the eve of TCU’s Big 12 tournament opener, reportedly for personal reasons.
The hits keep coming for what began as the most anticipated TCU men’s basketball season in decades.
Starting center Eddie Lampkin Jr. left the team on the eve of TCU’s Big 12 Championship opener for what was reported as personal reasons by Frogstoday.com. TCU (20-11) begins Big 12 tournament play Thursday evening as the No. 6 seed and facing No. 3 Kansas State (23-8) in Kansas City.
Since the news broke, Lampkin’s Instagram page posted apparent messages from coach Jamie Dixon to Lampkin’s mother, Vanessa, about her son’s desire to enter the transfer portal later this month. Lampkin’s account was later deactivated.
“I am sorry that I was not able to get Eddie to reach the levels we had both hoped for,” said the message identified as coming from Dixon. “I know he will be a great player and I hope and believe he reaches the NBA. I understand that Eddie is entering the transfer portal. Wish him all the success.”
son entering the transfer portal with Dixon and mentioned “racial remarks” by the coach.
“TCU is making it about the transfer portal and not about the real reason he is not there with the team he loves. If you all don’t tell the truth of how you have mistreated disrespected and said racial remarks towards him. We will. Please do no disrespect my son’s name because all we have been is patient with you,” she wrote.
“Handle us with Christian values for once.”
Talking to the media in Kansas City after TCU’s Wednesday practice, Dixon said he hadn’t seen the Instagram posts and declined to comment. He said learned Lampkin wasn’t traveling with the team on Tuesday.
“We wish him the best,” Dixon told reporters. “I love him … we’ll always love him.”
The charge of unspecified racial remarks immediately drew attention. Texas Tech coach Mark Adams remains suspended as the school probes what it called “use of an inappropriate, unacceptable and racially insensitive comment.”
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