HBCU hit with lawsuit by former NBA player

Saint Augustine University is being sued by former NBA player Chucky Brown for allegedly breaching a contract, per a report by HBCU Gameday. Brown is alleging that he was fired from the university without full payment of his salary. He was hired by the university in 2022 as the men’s basketball coach under a three-year contract.

Brown’s lawsuit, which was filed in Wake County District Court, alleges that Saint Augustine’s University promised to pay him $80,000 a year until March 31, 2025, with extra incentives for playoff success. But the university chose to unexpectedly end its men’s basketball program in 2024, along with other sports, without giving him a reason for leaving or paying him in full for the rest of his contract.

According to Brown’s complaint, he is owed $23,076.86 in unpaid salary from late December 2024 until his contract’s anticipated expiration in March 2025. In addition, he requests interest, legal costs, and any other compensation the court thinks fit. The lawsuit alleges that by firing Brown without cause and not upholding the entire financial terms specified in his employment contract, Saint Augustine violated the terms of the agreement.

Before making the transition to both collegiate and professional coaching, Brown was an NBA champion. He won a title with the Houston Rockets in 1995. His appointment was viewed as a major step toward Saint Augustine’s goal of reviving its once-proud basketball heritage. In 2024, Saint Augustine’s suspened multiple athletic programs and continued accreditation issues are the results of Saint Augustine’s well-documented financial difficulties.

Also, Saint Augustine’s lost its accreditation appeal back in March. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) rejected the university’s appeal, thus forcing them to push for a 90-day arbitration process to ensure that students graduating in May graduate from an accredited university.

“We have made substantial progress and are confident that our strengthened financial position and governance will ensure a positive outcome,” said Board of Trustees Chairman Brian Boulware. “SAU is resilient, and we are resolute in our commitment to academic excellence.”