West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins used a homophobic slur twice during an interview with Cincinnati radio station WLW on Monday. The incident occurred in reference to basketball fans at Xavier, the rival of Huggins’ former employer Cincinnati. We will not post the comments, but a clear recording of the incident has quickly made the rounds on social media.
Huggins has been the head coach at alma mater WVU since 2007, after spending one year at Kansas State and sixteen with the Bearcats. The 69-year old coach was recently inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame (class of 2022).
On Monday evening, Huggins released a statement apologizing for his words:
Earlier today on a Cincinnati radio program, I was asked about the rivalry between my former employer, the University of Cincinnati, and its crosstown rival, Xavier University. During the conversation, I used a completely insensitive and abhorrent phrase that there is simply no excuse for —and I won’t try to make one here. I deeply apologize to the individuals I have offended, as well as to the Xavier University community, the University of Cincinnati and West Virginia University. As I have shared with my players over my 40 years of coaching, there are consequences for our words and actions, and I will fully accept any coming my way. I am ashamed and embarrassed and heartbroken for those I have hurt. I must do better, and I will.
The University also released a statement on Monday:
Coach Huggins’ remarks today on a Cincinnati radio show were insensitive, offensive and do not represent our University values. Coach Huggins has since apologized. West Virginia University does not condone the use of such language and takes such actions very seriously. The situation is under review and will be addressed by the University and its athletics department.
We will have more on this story as it develops.
credit to Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty for the image
