Report Alleges Rampant Sexual Misconduct At Dallas Mavericks

A Sports Illustrated report detailing widespread workplace sexual misconduct in the Dallas Mavericks organization that involved its former CEO is sending shock waves through the league and drawing sharp criticism.

The exposé, published on Tuesday, alleges that the team’s former president and CEO, Terdema Ussery, was widely known as a “serial sexual harasser.” He once asked a female employee if her weekend plans included getting “gang-banged,” the magazine reported.

“Actually, I’m going to the movies with friends,” the woman reportedly replied, to which Ussery then reportedly told her, “you’re definitely getting gang-banged.”

Ussery was part of a larger Mavericks culture of abuse that included sexual harassment and assault, as well as domestic violence, and retaliation against those who tried to report offenses, the magazine reported. Ussery denies all the allegations.

“It was a real life Animal House,” one former employee told the publication. “And I only say “was” because I’m not there anymore. I’m sure it’s still going on.”

You can read the full Sports Illustrated report here.

None of the team’s athletes are accused of misconduct, nor is the team owner, billionaire Mark Cuban. But Sports Illustrated suggested that Cuban, who told the publication he was “embarrassed ... that it happened under my ownership,” let some behavior slide. Cuban  denied knowledge of the behavior, telling the magazine,“this is all new to me .... the only awareness I have is because I heard you guys were looking into some thing.”

After a flurry of complaints, the Mavericks in 1998 launched an internal investigation into Ussery, but it had no major repercussions on his career. He remained with the team for almost two decades, leaving in 2015 for a job at Under Armour, where he resigned following accusations of harassment.

Source : Yahoo News