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St. John’s Red Storm

Former St. John’s assistant unleashes explosive lawsuit on school after ousting

Former St. John’s assistant coach Steve DeMeo is suing the school, alleging he was fired because of a serious health condition

By Zach Braziller New York Post
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Former St. John’s assistant coach Steve DeMeo is suing the school, alleging he was fired because of a serious health condition.

In an explosive lawsuit obtained by The Post, DeMeo is accusing coach Mike Anderson and St. John’s of terminating him due to a heart problem called mitral valve prolapse that required surgery in August 2020. After this past season, DeMeo needed more procedures. And in June, he was let go and replaced by Greg "Shoes" Vetrone on Anderson’s staff.

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"It was only after Mr. DeMeo discussed his ongoing medical condition with Mr. Anderson and his need for additional medical procedures going forward that Mr. Anderson chose to terminate employment," the suit states. "By waiting until June, Mr. Anderson minimized Mr. DeMeo’s opportunities to find suitable alternate employment for the 2021–22 season."

DeMeo recently landed a job as an assistant coach at East Carolina.

Also in the suit, DeMeo airs the program’s dirty laundry, which he claims involve not following COVID-19 safety protocols and a dispute between Anderson and former forward Isiah Moore in the regular-season finale against Seton Hall. Anderson wanted to throw Moore off the team, but DeMeo says in the suit that the team was ready to revolt, and Anderson relented.

"St. John’s University and Coach Mike Anderson categorically deny Steve DeMeo’s allegations of wrongdoing, but cannot otherwise comment on pending litigation," the school said in a statement.

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He also claims that the team did not want to play for Anderson, and that was the reason St. John’s passed on the NIT – not the school’s stated reason of the demands of COVID-19 protocol in the NIT bubble. Regarding COVID, it should be noted that St. John’s avoided any pauses and a player didn’t test positive for the virus during the season.

Altogether, seven players transferred out of the program, though the team’s two best players – Julian Champagnie and Posh Alexander – returned, and St. John’s is projected to have its best team in several years.