USF looking into allegations of racially charged comments by men’s basketball assistant

Amid a mass player exodus, USF confirmed Thursday afternoon it has launched an independent review regarding “troubling concerns” involving a member of its men’s basketball coaching staff.

Collin Sherwin of DraftKings Nation (a USF alumnus and former school employee) reported Thursday morning via Twitter that the school is looking into multiple incidents of “racially charged” comments made by men’s basketball associate head coach Tom Herrion.

School administrators met with the team Thursday afternoon. The staff member, not named by USF, has been placed on administrative leave.

“We are aware of troubling concerns that have been reported involving a member of our men’s basketball coaching staff,” a statement released by the school said.

“We take these matters very seriously. An independent review is ongoing and the involved staff member has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of that review. We will have no further comment until that process is complete.”

Six Bulls players — all of them Black — have entered the NCAA transfer portal since the team’s season ended last week at the American Athletic Conference tournament. Backup forward Luke Anderson (who is white) has transferred to a junior college in Idaho.

The latest to enter the portal is 6-foot-8 redshirt junior Alexis Yetna, according to Stadium’s Jeff Goodman. The 2019 American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, Yetna was widely considered the most viable NBA prospect on the Bulls roster.

Herrion, 53, arrived with coach Brian Gregory at USF in 2017. His journeyman career includes four seasons each as coach at Marshall (2010-14) and College of Charleston (2002-06).

Gregory just completed the fourth year of a six-year, $6.58 million contract he signed upon his hiring in March 2017. USF is 48-66 with one postseason appearance — a College Basketball Invitational (CBI) title in 2019 — on his watch.