What are Texas Tech coach Mark Adams' credentials? Taking a closer look at the suspended coach's professional life
Texas Tech coach Mark Adams is under fire after some insensitive comments came to light. While there has not been an exact quote on what was said, Adams has been suspended due to what is being called “an inappropriate, unacceptable, and racially insensitive comment.”
The comments occurred in practice when a phrase Adams attempted to use fell way off the mark.
“Adams was encouraging the student-athlete to be more receptive to coaching and referenced Bible verses about workers, teachers, parents, and slaves serving their masters," Texas Tech said in a statement.
While Texas Tech will now focus on its Big 12 Tournament matchup without Adams, the future of the coach is more uncertain. Ninth-seeded Texas Tech (16-15, 5-13 Big 12) is set to face off against West Virginia (18-13, 7-11) on Wednesday.
It is likely that Adams will be suspended for the remainder of the season.
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Mark Adams' professional resume
This is just Adams' second season coaching Texas Tech. He had a successful opening season, leading the team to a 27-10 record and a Sweet 16 appearance. Adams earned the 2022 Associated Press Big 12 Coach of the Year and Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year for the impressive effort.
The program did not get off to an impressive of a start this year, going 0-8, with its NCAA tournament outlook grim.
The 66-year-old has plenty of experience before his time with the Red Raiders.
Adams began as head coach of Clarendon College in 1981-82 before taking control of Wayland Baptist from 1983 to 1987. He also coached at West Texas A&M from 1987-1992 and Texas-Pan American from 1992-1997.
He earned NJCAA's National Coach of the Year in 2010 after leading Howard College to a national championship. The team was led by current Milwaukee Bucks forward Jae Crowder, who averaged a career-high 14.2 points per game with the Boston Celtics in 2015-16. Adams recorded 233 victories with the school between 2004 and 2013.
The West Texas native then joined Texas Tech, where he graduated as a student, in 2013 with the position of director of basketball operations. He remained with the program until 2015 before taking an assistant coaching job at Arkansas Little Rock on Chris Beard's staff. Beard was then hired as the head coach of Texas Tech in 2016 and coached there until 2021, when he took a job at Texas.
Mark Adams followed Beard back to Texas Tech as associate head coach from 2016-2021. Upon Beard's exit, Adams stepped into the head coaching shoes.
He is well respected as one of the best defensive coaches in basketball across all levels. Last season, Texas Tech ranked No. 1 in defensive efficiency in the KenPom rankings. He has also been credited with helping instill a defensive culture in the program from before he was the head coach.
While Adams' basketball resume is thorough, his character will be more of the deciding factor in his future employment. For now, the school will continue its investigation into his comments and overall treatment of players. The findings of this will have an impact on his future.