Kevin Granger responds to Texas Southern firing, banner removal

Following his firing from Texas Southern University, Kevin Granger is speaking out. On Wednesday, Terrance Harris of the Houston Defender reported that Granger was notified of his dismissal on Feb. 13. Questions about his status began circulating earlier after Kyle T. Mosley of HBCU Legends reported that the banner recognizing Granger’s No. 10 jersey from his playing career at the school had been removed.

The Houston Defender also obtained a statement from Texas Southern University confirming Granger’s dismissal. In the statement, the university emphasized that the decision was made in accordance with established institutional policies and procedures.

“Following the completion of these inquiries, on February 13, 2026, the University issued a termination letter to Dr. Granger to discontinue his service as Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics and Athletic Director at Texas Southern University. Consistent with pertinent law and university policy, the letter notified Dr. Granger that the effective date of termination would be March 16, 2026. After careful deliberation, on March 5, 2026, the president made the decision to remove Dr. Granger’s retired jersey banner from public display in the H&PE Arena,” the statement read.

In a statement obtained by ClutchPoints, Granger’s attorney Letitia Quinones-Hollins spoke about the firing, banner removal and Granger’s innocence. The statement in full is below.

“Dr. Granger has and will consistently deny the allegations made against him. Texas Southern University’s own comprehensive investigation conducted under Title IX found the allegations of sexual assault and the other serious charges were not substantiated. Additionally, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office did not file any charges against Dr. Granger. In essence, the DA found there was not sufficient evidence to charge him with any crime.

It is disappointing and disheartening that after thirty years of devoting his time, toil and talents to Texas Southern University, the University elected to exercise the harshest level of punishment and terminate his employment. Over the years, Dr. Granger has broken many records, raised several millions of dollars for the University, formed partnerships and relationships with major league sports teams in Houston and under his leadership, student athletes broke more records than in the school’s prior history.

Dr. Granger remains an incredibly well-respected part of the community, and he will always be proud of his work at the university as well as the opportunities he created for TSU and its students over the years. It is unfortunate that his stellar reputation has been tarnished by a financially motivated litigant, but he intends to challenge this complaint at every step of the judicial process.”

A standout performer for the Texas Southern Tigers men’s basketball during his playing days, Granger emerged as one of the top scorers in the country. He averaged 27 points per game during the 1995–96 season and finished his collegiate career with 1,971 total points. His play also helped lead Texas Southern to back-to-back Southwestern Athletic Conference championships in 1994 and 1995. After earning tournament MVP honors in 1994, the university later honored his impact by retiring his jersey number in 2002.

Following his playing career, Granger remained connected to Texas Southern University and took on a variety of administrative roles. In 2019, he was named Vice President of Athletics, succeeding Charles McClelland after McClelland left the university to become commissioner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

However, Granger’s tenure came under scrutiny last summer after a lawsuit filed by attorney Tony Buzbee on behalf of a former Texas Southern employee alleged sexual assault. The complaint accuses Granger of inappropriate physical contact, using vulgar language, and requesting sexual favors from a staff member while implying it could influence career opportunities. Since the allegations surfaced, Granger had been placed on administrative leave, with interim athletic director Paula Jackson overseeing the department during the investigation.

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