Izaiah Brockington: Penn State delayed Pat Chambers firing to keep players ‘stuck’ at PSU
By Evan Smith
Former Penn State Basketball star Izaiah Brockington claims Penn State delayed firing former head coach Pat Chambers, to keep players from transferring
former Nittany Lion Izaiah Brockington spoke to Zach Schumaker about former Penn State Basketball head coach Pat Chambers’ firing, and placed the blame squarely on the athletic department.
In an almost ten-minute interview, he discussed at length the timeline of Chambers’ firing.
The most incendiary comments had to do with the timeline of the coaching change and referring to the possibility that the administration drug the process out to ensure none of the players would transfer prior to the season.
Most coaching changes are made right after the season ends so the new coach can start working on the roster. Chambers was fired on October 21st, just a few weeks before the season was supposed to start.
"“They could have done (that) in the summertime, before official practices,” Brockington said. “We kind of felt betrayed that they let it drag out so long til a couple of weeks before the season. We felt they did that so we would all be stuck there.”"
Brockington echoed what we’ve heard from Jamari Wheeler, stating that the players were given assurances Chambers would remain the coach just one day prior to his firing. He also used the word ‘fired’ that we have used at Victory Bell Rings, although technically it was a ‘resignation’.
He went on to say that Chambers was one of the nicest guys he’d ever met and emphasized the entire team wanted him to stay.
"“I still wanted him to coach,” Brockington said. “For sure, he was our heart and soul, he was the one motivating us, the one that kept us playing Penn State Basketball.”"
Chambers was fired a few weeks before the 2020-2021 season started, following what could have been the best season in program history. The 2019-2020 season saw Penn State reach #9 in the AP Poll and the Nittany Lions were assured of an NCAA Tournament berth prior to the cancellation of the tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
That summer, news broke he used the word ‘noose’ in front of an African American player, two-time since transfer Rasir Bolton.
The full quote is Chambers “wanted to remove the noose around (his) neck,” speaking to trying to relieve the pressure Bolton was playing with.
"“Chambers] made a mistake that looks really bad when you explain it in the media,” Brockington said. “When you asked the players did we want him to stay, of course we did. We knew what kind of person he is.”"
To this day, not a single player within the Penn State Basketball program except for Bolton has spoken negatively about Pat Chambers, including current NBA player Lamar Stevens and John Harrar, who decided to stay at Penn State despite the firing.
Chambers was hired to be the head coach at Florida Gulf Coast last week. Brockington’s current team, the Iowa State Cyclones, play Miami in the Sweet 16 Friday at 9:59 pm.