'He was unhappy': New report provides incredible insight into Kevin Willard's departure from Maryland
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On Monday, a new report from The Baltimore Sun provided what is perhaps the greatest insight into Kevin Willard's departure from Maryland. The report by Taylor Lyons goes into detail about how Willard was unhappy with the lack of resources at Maryland early on, and how that frustration remained a constant factor during his tenure in College Park.
The report details how Willard felt that Maryland was never fully committed to competing at the highest level when compared to the resources at other programs. And although former athletic director Damon Evans gave in to most of Willard's demands, that relationship remained turbulent for the bulk of Willard's time at Maryland.
Just days after being hired in 2022, Kevin Willard told a Maryland booster "I've never seen a place that cares less about winning in basketball than this."
— Taylor Lyons (@taylorjlyons) June 9, 2025
Inside Willard and Damon Evans' falling out and how Maryland is moving forward. https://t.co/4QzlnWQCj7
Via The Baltimore Sun:
"Willard's instantly fractured relationship with his own athletic department splintered from there over the next three years, developing into a cold resentment for former athletic director Damon Evans that led to a messy breakup and a dark cloud that hovered over the men's basketball team's drama-filled run to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament."
Willard's conduct during the NCAA tournament certainly left a sour taste in the mouths of Maryland fans, as he spent much of his time in front of the media discussing things he was unhappy with and the uncertainty surrounding his future. Although the players in the locker room remained close, the distraction by Willard undoubtedly had an impact on the Terrapins as they were in the midst of an NCAA Tournament run.
According to the report, there are some who believe that a "handshake" deal between Willard and Villanova was done back in February, long before Maryland entered tournament play. There are others who believe that Willard would still be in College Park if Damon Evans had remained as the athletic director, despite that frosty relationship. Regardless of how it could have played out, it's clear that both men were active in seeking out other opportunities while the Maryland men's basketball team was attempting to win a national championship.
"Maryland got screwed," said one source.
You can read the full report in The Baltimore Sun from Taylor Lyons HERE.
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Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. In January of 2025, he took over as Publisher for Maryland On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.
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