Scarlet Fever: The Rise & Fall Of J.R. Inman

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It was your normal day on June 5th, 2004. A 6’9 Power Forward from St. Joseph’s Regional High in Montvale, New Jersey decided where he would attend college for the next four years. Gerald Hoyte Inman Jr, or more commonly known as J.R. Inman, had committed to play basketball at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey . Inman was excited to play for current Scarlet Knights coach Gary Waters. Waters was bringing in one of the best recruiting classes in the history of the basketball program. Adding Inman gave RU a very talented power down low. J.R., at the time was ranked in the top 80 in his class was being pursued by contending schools in Miami and West Virginia to name a few. He was very excited and glad to become a Scarlet Knight. But with all good times come bad ones, as well.

There is a book I read in the sixth grade called Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. I never liked the book, yet, I understood the central meaning of one quote. “Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins.” J.R. Inman walked two moons and more over the long four years of his collegiate basketball career. As he recalls some of the great moments, he remembers a greater amount of unfortunate events. These events led to him going from a potential NBA Draft pick to just another guy. However, if you get to know the man, you will  know where he is coming from when he wants to get something off his chest.

Most people know who J.R. Inman is. He is a former Rutgers Basketball Player in his past time. Allow him to re-introduce himself. His name is Gerald Hoyte Inman, Jr. He only has facts; no fiction about the state of the Rutgers Basketball team and Fred Hill. Inman will give it to you “straight with no chaser”. In the following note, J.R. reflects on his time at Rutgers and what really happened behind the scenes with now, former head coaches Gary Waters and Fred Hill. Top that off with puppetmaster and former athletic director, Bob Mulcahy.

Four years ago marks a historical period in time for the Rutgers University Men’s Basketball Program. I can still remember the Press Conference that was held in the RAC commemorating Head Coach Fred Hill for his inauguration of becoming the Head Basketball Coach. “Wow, dreams really do come true” was the first words he uttered out of his mouth. This dream he spoke of was a childhood fantasy that he always had. To live up to his father’s standards and become a head basketball coach at Rutgers University.

Dreams are good for using motivation to help you strive towards attainable goals, but when you steal someone else’s dream it becomes a mechanism of spiteful deceit. What most people fail to understand about Fred Hill is that his Reign as Head Coach of the program was a scam from the beginning. Fred and Former Athletic Director Bob Mulcahy would have “Rendezvous” (secret meetings) to demise strategies to hand over the program from Gary Waters to Fred Hill without breaching his contract or appearing overwhelmingly obvious to the general public.

To the public it was projected as if Coach Hill was brought to Rutgers to help Coach Waters with Recruiting local talent. That was simply a commercial advertising scheme Mulcrazy demised to inflate Fred’s publicity. In actuality (as Coach Waters use to say), Coach Waters last recruiting class was his best recruiting class during his reign at Rutgers. This class consisted of 4 top 150 recruits in the country. Our class was ranked the 8^th best recruiting class in the country that year by some sources. The belief that Waters couldn’t recruit local talent was propaganda slander. My senior year in High School NJ Hoops had Myself, Gerald Inman, Jr. Anthony Farmer, and Jaron Griffin as ranked in the top 10 seniors in the State of New Jersey (# 4, #6, #9).

This group of fine young men meshed well with Gary Waters previous classes. With that team next year we had leadership of upperclassmen like Marquis Webb, Adrian Hill, Quincy Douby, and even fine young walk-ons that must be noted. Shayle Kating, John Mimo , and Jason Cherry. We had intricate parts that Coach had put together. He modeled our team after John Wooden’s famous book of the “Pyramid of Success”. In this pyramid every person on the team had a specified role. In order for our Pyramid to be complete, everyone would have to do there part as we come together as one body.

This concept unified us together and made us a force to be reckoned with. My freshman year was certainly a year to remember. We won 19 games that year and had we have stole two or three non conference games that we didn’t win (lost to buffalo by 2, lost to charlotte by 2 at home, Syracuse at the buzzer at Syracuse, Villanova by 3 in overtime, Seton hall by single digits the game I fractured my right fibula) we would have been well on our way to the NCAA tournament. Marquis Webb had developed a reputation for being one of the top defenders in the conference. Quincy Douby became a scoring machine. I blossomed into a Freshmen All-American, and Anthony Farmer gain All Big East Rookie Honors.

The Drama would intensify on the day we played Marquette University. I can still remember that game. I was injured so I wasn’t playing but I remember there was a snow storm the day before so a lot of people did not come to the game. There were approximately 500 to 1,000 people in the RAC that day. Coach Waters had ventured to his previous school he coached at to accept his inauguration into the school’s “Hall of Fame”. He had received permission from athletic director Bob Mulcrazy to attend his school’s ceremony. The snow storm caused all the flights to be canceled and Coach could not make it back to New Jersey in time for the game as a result of the cancelation.

Mulcrazy tried to flip that situation and say that Coach Waters breached his contract by missing the game. This game was also a game that we came out red hot and won. Coach Hill took all the credit as being the reason why we won the game. His complexity really leads him to believe that he is capable of things that he is not. So this was pretty much icing on the cake in terms of the fate of Coach Waters.

I spoke with many local five star recruits such as Lance Thomas (Duke University) and Jeff Robinson (Seton Hall University) as well as others. These explosive high prolific athletes both admitted to me that their main reason for not attending Rutgers University was because they did not like how the RU administration handled the Firing of Gary Waters Scandal. Imagine a team where you have a solid point guard who can handle ball pressure in transition, and long athletic wings that can run the floor and finish down low such as myself, Jeff, Jaron, and Lance would have been. I am willing to bet that team would have had the best forward tandems in RU history.

My sophomore year was not as dramatic. This was Coach Hill’s first year and regardless of results people would not put blame on a first year coach for their lack of success. My junior year, on the other hand, was a different story. Now with Coach Hill’s Recruits on the team matters within the walls of the basketball locker room would get worse. Players began to fight against each other. Coaches would argue amongst themselves. Things began to separate themselves over time and our Family seemed to be effected with some type of cancerous attitude. This problem was misdiagnosed by the head of the house Fred Hill. He began to prophecy that FIG (Anthony Farmer, Gerald Inman, Jaron Griffin) was the reason for our lack of success. Leadership is what he preached was the cause of our failures. He would publicize the incompetence of Coach Waters Recruiting class that Waters had named the “4 horsemen” (Gerald Inman, Anthony Farmer, Jaron Griffin, Zach Gibson) four years prior. He preached it to media outlets, recruits, and even players on the team. He would tell Pat Jackson during meetings that as soon as FIG gets out of here we can win. He would tell Earl Pettis that FIG is holding us back as a tool to try and motivate his players to be patient. Hill used negative slander to try and motivate his players not to succumb to all the bad chemistry.  This created even more separation but the main thing it did was create a handicap for his recruits mental and socialization growth.

Any freshman that comes into a university must go the proper steps of the socialization process. This process has been explained by many scholars is the mandated steps towards organization development. The earlier stages are when freshman get acclimated to a new system and way of doing things. These regularities are passed down from prior existing members within the organization through advice, guidance, and mentoring. Coach Hill’s recruiting classes all seem to skip the first stage of the socialization process. These players are glorified into appearing as saviors of the program. This adoration clutters their mind when reality strikes in. This is why most coaches don’t even play their freshmen right away. Giving them too much, to soon can cause your mind to think and act with reckless abandon. Once you have lost a young man’s mind, it is very hard to get it back.

With regards to the numerous transfers you have seen from the past couple of years, All these players eventually see the bigger picture. They grow to see the Scumbag behind what most people see as a guru recruiter coach in Fred Hill. They have there individual reasons for transferring but all can agree that Rutgers was not the reason for transferring but it was the coach that brought them there, Fred Hill.

Rutgers has now become a place where athletes are coming to try and make it to the NBA. That’s a great thing to aim for. But education is more important in my eyes. Education is something that you can work hard for and never lose. When I read current articles of certain players on the team talking about going to the NBA I just think to myself and say, don’t talk about it, be about it. I never spoke publicly of going to the NBA and neither did Quincy Douby especially in his freshman or sophomore year in college. I remember one day Coach Hill told Corey Chandler that Rajon Rondo, an NBA All-Star, can’t hold a candle to him. Now tell me that isn’t crazy disrespectful. I say this to say, that Coach Hill prevented Corey Chandlers Mental Growth as a basketball player as well as many others on my team. Mike Rosario is in a tough situation. He is a good kid with a nice jump shot and a good chance to make some serious money at this game someday. I cannot express my opinion on his situation but what I can say is that he needs a coach to coach him, not coddle him. Well I was never good with endings but then again this is not an article, this is simply an excerpt of insight from an insider of Rutgers Basketball.

To be bleak, that is a very descriptive and articulit way to sum up the past half decade of Rutgers basketball. Myself and J.R., alike, wanted to uncover every bit of evidince out there on his experience. From the following topics we cover J.R. Inman goes on the record with 100% honesty.

J.R. Inman on his relationship with Fred Hill

My relationship with Fred Hill was “wishy washy”.  He started recruiting me when he was at Villanova during my sophomore year of high school. He came to my high school and spoke with my head high school basketball coach Michael Doherty. He told him I had some great talent and a chance to be a professional athlete someday.  When he came into Rutgers our relationship was cordial. He would encourage me on the court to play hard, just as the other coaches did. I remember a game my freshman year against DePaul University. We had an inbound play on the left wing and he told me to catch the ball, rip threw my defender (Wilson Chandler, currently a New York Knick) and take one dribble and dunk it. I did what I was told and ripped by an All-Big East player and dunked the ball with authority. Somewhere in between that year and my junior year things began to get really sour. Till this day I still do not know exactly what happened but my guess is that it was a matter of unfortunate confliction of interest and political business injustices streaming from both sides of the party. I scored my 1,000^th point against Marquette University. Before the game I was 7 points shy of 1,000. Not only did he not start me that game but when I did get in he didn’t run any plays for me the entire first half.  I was frustrated by his actions so I took it upon myself in the second half to score 9 straight points to earn my 1,000 points at RU. He didn’t even have the decency to congratulate me on reaching my 1,000^th point.

J.R. Inman on How the RU Team Felt About Him

Coach Hill has a way of blatantly disrespecting those who aren’t in his corner. Everyone within the basketball family knew that he picked sides and for that he couldn’t be trusted. As his true character begins to unfold players began to realize that he respects no one, therefore he shouldn’t be respected.

J.R. Inman on How He Feels About Fred Hill Being Fired

I feel Liberated honestly. I witnessed a man (Gary Waters) get his job stolen from him by a man who was incompetently unqualified.

J.R. Inman on Why He Stayed At Rutgers Despite Issues

My reasons for coming to Rutgers remained the same from the day I signed my letter of Intent. My parents always instilled education in me; playing basketball was a gift that God gave me. Rutgers University gave me an opportunity to earn my education and play basketball on the second highest level in the world. My loyalty to New Jersey (All-State Junior and Senior Year of High School, Metropolitan Freshman of the Year) encouraged me to withstand all the distractions and negativity that affected the basketball program. It was a tough decision. I could have went almost anywhere in the country after my freshman year (6’9 Four man with three skills averaged 9 points and 6 rebounds, Freshman All-American Honors). My Integrity told me that if you leave RU, you are giving up on so many who support and love you.

J.R. Inman on Who Is More To Blame, Fred Hill or Bob Mulcahy

This one is totally on Bob Mulcrazy. Put the politics aside and think facts and statistics. He hired a man with 0 years of head coaching experience. The Big East has developed a reputation of being a premier college basketball conference. Every other coach in the conference we face had far more experience then Coach Hill.  So this is not Coach Hill’s fault, this one is definitely on Mulcrazy.

J.R. Inman on Whether Fred Hill is to Blame for the Collapse of Rutgers Hoops

It is without any doubt that it is Fred Hill’s fault for the plummet of Rutgers Men’s Basketball.  We’re having more kids transfer than ever before. I must honestly say that there is no pride in the locker room to bleed scarlet.  Coach Waters instilled a foundation that made all of his recruit’s respect and honor this tremendous University. Coach Hill’s recruits seem to only come here for basketball and not the finer, more important things in life. If they came here for the school, than they would not be transferring in such high numbers.

J.R. Inman on a Comment About Wanting to Choke Hill

The propaganda and scrutiny I went through stemmed from Coach Hill’s attitude towards me. That in itself was a smack in the face. I guess you can call this article a punch in the face.

J.R. Inman on Who He Blames For Not Making the NBA

I will not blame it on anyone. I will say it is Fred’s fault that I did not even get an opportunity. Ned Cohen who was the director of NBA scouting my junior year in college called my cell phone one day. He told me he wanted me to enter the NBA Draft. He told me that if I came into the workouts and played solid I would have an opportunity to be drafted in the second round.  My response to him was, “Thank you for the opportunity but I must come back my senior year to earn my degree. The NBA is not going anywhere”. Little did I know that would be my last opportunity. The next year, not only did Coach bench me for the entire year, but he suspended me and Jaron Griffin in the beginning of the season. This is when the defaming of our characters came into play. NBA scouts would come to our practices and watch me dominate. Draining threes, catching oops, handling the rock, etc.  At the end of the season I did not receive an invite to Port Smith, nor did I get a call from anybody regarding an opportunity to enter the NBA Draft. When I spoke with Coach Hill about putting a “good word” in with the Nets Assistant Coach and uncle (Brian Hill), his response was “Well, I spoke to my uncle and they’re looking for guards”. Later that month I read in a newspaper how they brought in the 6’8 250 pound Geoff McDermott from Providence University. They wound up drafting Terrence Williams out of Louisville. I was devastated that I did not even get a chance to work out for the state team. After sacrificing the last three years of my college career to stay in turmoil I felt that New Jersey owed it to me to give me an opportunity to represent the state. In more ways than one, I do believe in Karma. This year the New Jersey Nets are terrible. Sometimes I think in my head and wonder if God punished that franchise indirectly for the cancerous injustice that Brian Hill corroded in the Nets program as a result of his nephew’s scornful behavior.

Despite what you may think, Inman really does love Rutgers University. He loves the academics, the campus, and basically everything about it. He said he would tell a perspective student, “that Rutgers University is a great school, the Big East is a great conference, and that they have an opportunity to change the world as we see it, by deciding to attend or not to attend a tremendous university.” One thing he benefited from that most college basketball players never get is a degree. After fighting for four years, J.R. graduated and moved on to a life he appreciates and likes these days. “I am playing in Japan for Kyoto Hannary’z. It’s beautiful here and the people are incredibly friendly. I must note that playing with professional players is a great experience.” He is enjoying his life and career. He does not need the glamourous life of America. He does not need the glamour and fame from playing in the NBA. He is perfectly content with life.

But if J.R. Inman is happy with life, why is he making all this negative publicity for the Rutgers Basketball program? It is very clear to Mr. Inman. “This one is for the Rutgers Alumni and the boosters that have been donating money to the program for years. For Coach Waters, who was robbed of an opportunity to take his place as a great coach in Rutgers’ history. For Corey Chandler, Courtney Nelson, Earl Petis, Pat Jackson, Justin Softman, and everyone who left Rutgers as a result of Coach Hill. This is for the family’s of myself (Jr Inman), Anthony Farmer, and Jaron Griffin. Together, we went through an entire year of public embarrassment and undeserved cruel punishment.  This is for future recruits to open their eyes and understand that choosing where you decide to go to school, and who you will play for is a decision that will affect you for the rest of your life.  I had a lot on my chest I needed to release. I thought about taking legal matters and suing for Defamation of Character but I thought this was a better political venture. Besides he didn’t kill me, he just exposed me to the real world in the wrong way.”

It appears that Rutgers Basketball is slowly dying right now. This is far from the case as it is just a rebuilding period. With both Hill and Mulchanchy out now, J.R. Inman will be able to sleep at night now. Clear mind, clear thoughts, clear conscious.

***Shout out from J.R. Inman to Muhammad Abdul-Rauf former Phoenix Suns star shooting guard. He is a good teammate and mentor. Whenever we shoot around in the morning all he says to me is “Same shoot, Same follow through”***

I would like to personally thank J.R. Inman for sharing his special story with us here first. His honesty, opinion, and passion were appreciated to the fullest and this article could not have been written without his words. We wish J.R. the best of luck with his life in Japan and the rest of his ventures. Despite what some critics may think, Gerald Hoyte Inman Jr. is a good guy.

Thanks to Flickr.com for the photo.

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