A Sports Illustrated investigation chronicling sexual misconduct in the Dallas Mavericks organization includes an allegation of inappropriate behavior by one executive while he briefly worked at Under Armour in 2015.
The report focuses partly on Terdema L. Ussery II, the NBA team’s former president and CEO. Two women connected with the team told Sports Illustrated that Ussery “harassed them for years. These incidents ranged from inappropriate remarks to requests for sex to touching women’s calves and thighs during meetings.”
Ussery, who told the magazine the accusations against him are “outright false and inflammatory,” joined Under Armour in 2015 as president of global sports categories.
While at the Baltimore sports apparel brand, the Sports Illustrated report said, he “behaved in a sexually inappropriate manner” during an elevator ride with a female co-worker far lower in job rank.
The employee “complained to Human Resources. In early November, after less than two months on the job, Ussery abruptly resigned from Under Armour in what was called an ‘organizational reshuffle,’ ” according to the article.
Asked for comment Wednesday, Under Armour issued a statement.
“While we cannot disclose specific personnel matters, Under Armour takes these matters very seriously,” the company said.
Ussery could not be reached Wednesday through 1 Blakley Consulting, a firm in which he reportedly holds a leadership post.