ESPN Analyst Slams Kansas State for Firing Basketball Coach

Seth Greenberg calls out the university's athletic director over the handling of Jerome Tang's dismissal.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg strongly criticized Kansas State University for firing basketball coach Jerome Tang, calling the school's athletic director "embarrassing" for the way they handled the situation. Greenberg defended Tang's public criticism of his team's effort, saying the coach was just being "real and genuine" and that the only thing he did wrong was not winning enough games in his two seasons.

Why it matters

The firing of a high-profile college basketball coach is always a newsworthy event, especially when it involves allegations of a school trying to avoid a large buyout payment. Greenberg's pointed criticism of Kansas State's handling of the situation adds an interesting perspective and sheds light on the complex dynamics between coaches, athletic departments, and the media.

The details

Kansas State parted ways with Jerome Tang on Sunday, reportedly attempting to do so for cause to avoid paying his $18 million buyout. This came after Tang publicly criticized his team's effort following a blowout loss, which the school viewed as a violation of his contract. Greenberg defended Tang's comments, saying the coach was just being honest about his struggling team's performance.

  • Kansas State fired Jerome Tang on Sunday, February 16, 2026.
  • Tang made his critical comments about the team's effort following a loss on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.

The players

Seth Greenberg

An ESPN college basketball analyst and former college basketball coach.

Jerome Tang

The former head basketball coach of the Kansas State Wildcats, who was fired after two seasons with the team.

Kansas State University

The public research university located in Manhattan, Kansas, whose athletic department fired basketball coach Jerome Tang.

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What they’re saying

“That athletic director is embarrassing for what he is trying to do. What did (Tang) actually say right there? He said, we're going to hold our players to her standard. The way they played was unacceptable. They didn't compete, they didn't play hard. We're going to practice at six o'clock tomorrow morning, because we're going to fix this problem.”

— Seth Greenberg, ESPN Analyst (on3.com)

“If Jerome Tang, say, wanted to take the UCLA job. He has a buyout. He'd have to pay. You know what? K-State, you made a bad decision in your mind. All right, they're not winning enough games. Just say he's not winning enough games. We need to make a change, but to try to dispute and try to create some type of narrative that he didn't fulfill his contract, that is absolutely embarrassing.”

— Seth Greenberg, ESPN Analyst (on3.com)

What’s next

The university and Tang are expected to continue negotiations over the terms of his buyout, with the school attempting to avoid paying the full $18 million.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the often contentious relationship between college coaches and athletic departments, especially when a coach is fired. Greenberg's strong defense of Tang suggests the ESPN analyst believes the university is unfairly trying to avoid paying the full buyout owed to the former coach.