Michael Young said Friday he has officially departed ways with UH, ending his 20 year affiliation with the University as a basketball legend and most recently part of the support staff with the men’s basketball team, which his son, Joseph Young, plays for.
Joseph, who led his team in scoring with more than 18 points per game and helped UH advance to the quarterfinals of the CBI tournament in 2012, will also leave the program.
“Joseph is dealing with it fine,” Michael said to the Chronicle. “He made his decision, and I guess he loves his dad more than he loves the University of Houston. He made a statement to me that he can’t play for a coach that doesn’t want his dad to be a part of the staff.”
Michael, who is a Phi Slama Jama member and director of basketball operations, rejected the offer to serve more of a community service role with the UH Athletics Department after his contract was due to expire Friday. Joseph, who is a redshirt junior guard for the Cougars, also plans to leave with his father.
“James Dickey doesn’t want me to be part of his coaching staff anymore,” Michael said to the Houston Chronicle. “He wanted to go in another direction. I was offered an alternative position. I refused it, and I’ve moved on from the University of Houston.”
Head coach James Dickey said he expected Michael to remain with UH after signing his new contract earlier this week.
“With his contract ending May 31, Michael was offered, accepted and signed a new contract earlier this week at the same compensation beginning June 1 with new responsibilities inside the Athletics Department,” Dickey said to the Chronicle. “Since that agreement, I have not spoken further with Michael about his new contract.”
Although he and son will leave the Cougars, Michael’s daughter, Mayorca Young, who is a sophomore sprinter, is still currently part of UH.
Michael, who was accompanied with players such as Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler under their recently inducted Basketball Hall of Fame coach Guy V. Lewis at UH, advanced to back-to-back national championships in ’83 and ’84.
After his days at UH, Michael played in the NBA, the CBA and in Europe. After his playing stints, he joined the men’s basketball staff at UH and became the strength and conditioning coach from 1999 to 2008; the assistant coach in ’03; director of operations and performance enhancement from 2004 to 2010; and in his final position, as the director of basketball operations that began in ’10.
“I will always be a Cougar, but I’m disappointed,” Young said.
