According to several reports Coppin State has fired head men’s basketball coach Juan Dixon. The former NBA player and All-American at Maryland is also a star on the reality television series “Real Housewives of Potomac” with his wife Robyn. During his six seasons with Coppin State the team had a record of 51-131, and he was named in a lawsuit for his role in covering up a sex scandal between a player and coach on the team.
So was Dixon suspended for bad coaching or his role in downplaying the scandal?
Juan Dixon Is A Bad Coach
Maybe it’s the best of both worlds for Coppin State. They got rid of a coach coming off a 9-23 season who during his six-year tenure reached double digit victories in only one season, yet still finished well below .500.
Then there is the fact that Dixon was named in a lawsuit filed against the school by former player Ibn Williams last November.
According to reports, former Coppin State director of player development and director of basketball operations Lucian Brownlee has been accused of catfishing Williams online. In this scam he allegedly coerced Williams into providing intimate photos and texts, then blackmailed him into videotaping a sexual encounter before publicizing the material when the player resisted further demands for sex.
The University and Dixon Failed To Protect A Student
The lawsuit filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court alleges that Brownlee harassed, tormented and sexually assaulted Williams, before publishing intimate material he had obtained from the student. According to the lawsuit Williams met with Dixon to discuss the matter, but the head coach did nothing about it.
In the 15-page lawsuit, Williams also cited the school for breach of contract. The suit alleged that the university promised a safe school environment free from drugs, abuse and violence which was violated by the alleged actions of Brownlee.
At the time the lawsuit was filed, Williams’ attorney was hopeful for a quick resolution.
“We’re hopeful this is a bridge to a quick discussion and a quick resolution to resolve this for all parties,” said Daniel “Donny” Epstein, Williams’ attorney and lead counsel on the case. “We just want justice for Ibn, and we want to shine a light on what happened here.
At this time the lawsuit is still pending and the basketball team is terrible, so the university probably did this preemptively to somewhat solve both issues.
Of course the problem is the school can still be held liable for what happened to Williams. They hired Dixon, who recruited Brownlee as a player and then added him to the staff. The athletic department is supposed to have oversight of all sports programs, coaches and athletes.
No doubt the producers over at Bravo for “RHOP” are hopeful for another season of the show. If they’re able to use anything from this scandal involving in the portrayal of the lives of Juan and Robyn Dixon, it’s sure to generate interest and viral moments.
If as a result of this lawsuit a full audit of the men’s basketball program is conducted, what else might we find out?
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