In a bizarre case, the former director of basketball operations at the University of Houston has asked a Texas state court judge to rescind the employment contract he signed with the school for a new position, which he initially accepted after he was allegedly fired from his old position as director of basketball operations.
Plaintiff Michael Young, a highly decorated former basketball player at the school, claimed specifically that the university reassigned him to a community service position, where he would be paid $64,000 and work from home.
“It was clear (Deputy Athletic Director Derek) Dunn did not want Mr. Young on campus and that he would be paid to sit at home,” according to the complaint. “The University of Houston did not provide any equipment for Mr. Young’s home to perform his duties such as internet access, fax machine, computer, stationary, copy machine or printer.
“Mr. Dunn also told him that as long as his son, Joseph Young, was a player at the University of Houston the contract would be good, but if Joseph (the Cougars’ leading scorer last season) left the University of Houston the contract would end.”
In a statement, the school denied the charge, noting that it was “looking forward to vigorously defending its actions.”
Within 24 hours after signing the contract, Young “felt uneasy” about accepting new position.
“After some thought and reflection Mr. Young began to question the propriety of the actions of the University of Houston in light of NCAA rules prohibiting indirect payments to players and felt uneasy about the legality of accepting a salary sitting at home being paid to wait for a telephone call to tell him to engage in ‘community service,'” according to the complaint.
The situation got weirder “on the morning of May 31, 2013.
“(W)hile jogging at Memorial Park Mr. Young was approached by an unknown gentleman who asked him if he was aware that there was an investigation going on at the University of Houston about a physical threat of violence against his son. Mr. Young was dumbfounded that he had been a coach at the school and not been told about threats of physical violence against his son. Moreover, his son Joseph was not aware of such threats. Mr. Young at that time surmised the school would do anything, including violate state law and NCAA rules in order to keep his son playing at University of Houston. Based upon these facts Mr. Young sent an e-mail and rescinded the contract.”
While technically he remains a UH employee, Young said he has not cashed any checks from the school since May 31, the end of his old contract.
“They sent me a check and I sent it back,” Young told the Houston Chronicle. “I don’t know why they are still trying to hold me with some type of employment at the University of Houston, but we’re going to find that out.”
Meanwhile, the plaintiff’s son left the Cougar basketball program on June 28, announcing he would transfer to the University of Oregon. The plaintiff told the media that he hopes the circumstances surrounding the transfer will be weighed carefully by the NCAA when it considers whether to allow Joseph to play immediately next season, rather than having to sit out a year, as is customary.
Nevertheless, plaintiff’s attorney Reginald McKamie said his client’s primary motive is that he does not want to “be part of a fraud for one second. We want the contract rescinded from the outset so there is no doubt in anybody’s mind that Michael has not engaged in any fraud of the NCAA rules or defrauding Texas taxpayers of any money.”
In addition to having the contract voided, Young is also seeking $2,100 in attorney’s fees and court costs.
