TCU center Eddie Lampkin did not travel with the team to the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City due to mental health and personal reasons as allegations emerged of mistreatment by head coach Jamie Dixon.
On Wednesday, Lampkin posted screenshots of a conversation between Coach Dixon and his mother on his Instagram page. He later deleted the posts along with his Instagram account.
The first post was of a text allegedly from Dixon acknowledging Lampkin’s apparent intention to enter the transfer portal.
He is met with a rebuttal from Lampkin’s mother, Vanessa, who was also on the thread, accusing TCU of making the situation about the transfer portal and “not about the real reason he is not there with the team he loves.”
“TCU is making it about the transfer portal … If you all don’t tell the truth of how you have mistreated disrespected and said racial remarks towards him. We will. Please do not disrespect my son’s name because all we have been is patient with YOU,” his mother wrote in the messages.
Lampkin’s post also included a conversation with another coach in which he vents his frustration over how he has been “hurting” and how he “just can’t take it any more it’s been days I wanted to kill my self [sic] I’m tired of seeing my teammates.”
Lampkin tweeted his support for his team on Wednesday, which received the following reply from Vanessa.
“What is sad is people speak about things they assume to have total facts about,” she wrote.
“Eddie never abandoned his team or said that once. What happened behind closed doors is not seen until the door is opened. Student Athletes have been abused Mentally verbally emotionally for years. SMH.”
“It’s good momma they don’t care about us fr,” Eddie replied.
Lampkin has battled injuries all season, and Dixon had said he was unsure about the availability of some of his players when he met with the media on Tuesday.
“We’ll see how practice goes today,” Dixon said. “I’ll let you know. We’ll see how the injuries and how everything adds up here today.”
On Wednesday, Dixon told reporters he found out Lampkin would not be available Tuesday morning.
“The plan was he was going, and then it changed Tuesday. Tuesday morning, yeah,” the coach told reporters in the arena. “So that is what it is, and we wish him the best. I love him, and he’s a Horned Frog. We’ll always love him.”
When asked about the screenshots, Dixon said he had not seen them and had not talked to Lampkin since the news broke, but he wants to get things worked out.
Lampkin is the team’s leading rebounder and averages 6.3 points and 5.9 rebounds this season. Junior Xavier Cork, who averages 4.7 points and 2.5 rebounds, takes his place as TCU’s starting center.
The Horned Frogs defeated No.12 Kansas State 80-67 yesterday in Kansas City.
The Dallas Express reached out to the TCU basketball team and was told there would be no comments on the situation until at least after the Kansas State game.
