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Players accuse George Washington coach of verbal, emotional abuse

George Washington coach Mike Lonergan (AP)
George Washington coach Mike Lonergan (AP)

When Mike Lonergan signed a contract extension two years ago after leading George Washington to the NCAA tournament, the relationship between the school and its basketball coach appeared strong.

Athletic director Patrick Nero said Lonergan “has done everything we have asked of him.” Lonergan called it his “truest hope” that George Washington would be where he retires.

A long-lasting marriage between Lonergan and George Washington seems less certain now, however, in the wake of an ugly Washington Post story published Thursday. Current and former players and staffers anonymously told the Post that Lonergan verbally and emotionally abused them, creating a toxic environment that caused many of them to leave the program.

Thirteen players have transferred from George Washington during Lonergan’s five-year tenure, an unusually high number even in an era in which the transfer rate has soared nationwide. Players who spoke to the Post cited Lonergan’s behavior as the primary reason.

According to multiple players, Lonergan’s critiques crossed the line from constructive to mean-spirited. He told one player his son would always be on food stamps. He told another, in front of the team, he should transfer to a “transgender league,” multiple players said.

One person close to a former GW player said he “went through hell” playing for Lonergan because of constant personal comments and critiques. One former player said he attended therapy and considered quitting basketball because of Lonergan’s language and actions toward him.

Lonergan did not immediately return a text from Yahoo Sports seeking comment. He responded to the Post via statement, calling the anonymous allegations “groundless” and “unfounded” and adding that “those who know me know that I conduct myself and run my program with integrity.”

Some of the players who spoke with the Post also alleged that the dynamic between Lonergan and Nero had become uncomfortable. Nero apparently drew Lonergan’s ire by monitoring his practices last season in response to complaints from players.

Players said Lonergan shared his distaste for Nero in a manner both inappropriate and outlandish. Five current and former players said Lonergan made explicit remarks about Nero, among them telling them to avoid Nero because he was obsessed with them.

Five current and former players said Lonergan told players Nero requested the practice tapes so he could masturbate while viewing them in his office. The players said Lonergan also told them Nero had engaged in a sexual relationship with a member of the team. Players said they found those comments to be shocking and offensive, with no grounding in reality.

Evaluating the severity of the allegations against Lonergan is difficult because there’s such a fine line between instilling discipline and actual emotional abuse. Colorful locker room language is the norm, but clearly Lonergan may need to back off a bit if players are complaining about him publicly and to the athletic director.

In response to Thursday’s news, a handful of prominent former George Washington players have defended Lonergan on social media. They each admitted that Lonergan is a demanding coach, but they also insisted that his methods brought out the best in them.

Since leaving Vermont to come to George Washington five years ago, Lonergan has engineered an impressive turnaround. The Colonials have won 22 or more games each of the past three seasons, reaching the 2014 NCAA tournament and winning the NIT title this past spring.