Baylor Basketball Team Refuse to Accept Jeep After Dealership GM's Insensitive Remark

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The Baylor men's basketball team refused to accept a gifted Jeep Wrangler from the Allen Samuels dealership in Waco, Texas, this week after the general manager of the dealership made an insensitive comment during a television interview.

According to the Associated Press (h/t USA Today), the custom Jeep the dealership attempted to give to Baylor was driven in the team's championship parade Tuesday. The car, which is wrapped in a national championship logo, would have been given to Baylor head men's basketball coach Scott Drew to drive for a year.

The offer was turned down, however, after Allen Samuels GM Ted Teague said during an interview on KWTX-TV that Drew could use the Jeep to "recruit, pull some people out of the hood."

Following the comment, Drew and Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades released a joint statement:

Teague later apologized in a statement of his own:

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"As the word came out of my mouth, I instantly knew it was the absolute wrong word. I know that I disrespected a countless number of people within our amazing Waco community, and beyond. I am deeply disappointed and saddened by my actions and offer each of you my most sincere apologies."

Baylor won the first national championship in the history of the men's basketball program this month when it beat previously undefeated Gonzaga 86-70 in the National Championship Game.

With the win, the Bears finished the season 28-2 and completed a massive turnaround.

Before Drew entered the fold in 2003 and in his first few seasons at the helm, Baylor rarely came close to reaching the NCAA tournament. From 1988 to 2007, Baylor missed the NCAA tourney 19 straight seasons until Drew finally broke the streak.