Cynthia Cooper-Dyke is easily one of the best WNBA players that have ever graced the league. The Houston Comets legend had dove into head coaching after her career and recently retired as Texas Southern women’s basketball coach.
“Coach Cooper-Dyke has had a tremendous impact on TSU women’s basketball since her arrival and moved the program to new heights,” Texas Southern vice president of intercollegiate athletics Kevin Granger said in a statement. “She will be missed as I wish her nothing but success in her future endeavors.”
That impact included a ton of bad things that have been exposed this week after The Athletic dropped a damning article on her. Before her retirement from coaching, she was accused of demeaning and abusive behavior by multiple players, according to Chantel Jennings and Dana O’Neil of The Athletic.
The allegations featured the coach using “overt sexual language with her players, in ways that many found to be inappropriate, demeaning and degrading,” per The Athletic.
When told about one player suffering from depression, Cooper-Dyke reportedly responded, “No, she will be all right, she just needs some dick, that’s all.”
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She also allegedly told a player in the midst of doing squats: “You got a fat ass and I can tell you like to ride some dick.”
Former players also described similar encounters at previous coaching stops at UNC-Wilmington and USC.
“This is a woman who demeaned us, who talked to us like we were not human,” former USC player Thaddesia Southall said. “She made me hate basketball, and no one did anything to stop her.”
In a statement sent via text message, Cooper-Dyke wrote:
“Throughout my years as a coach, I’ve had countless interactions with players in my role as their coach, mentor and friend. I had positive relationships with the majority of players and staff, and my only intention was to maximize players’ potential and help them be their best. While these allegations are untrue, everyone deserves to work, play and learn in a respectful environment, and I deeply apologize for and regret any words used during the course of a spirited game or practice that offended or hurt someone.”
Cooper-Dyke, a four-time WNBA champion and Finals MVP with the Houston Comets as well as a two-time league MVP, spent four seasons coaching at Texas Southern across two stints, leading the Lady Tigers to their first SWAC regular-season championship and a WNIT berth in 2012-13.
