Report: Top Programs Implicated in Federal Investigation
Federal documents taken from a sports agency college basketball corruption case reveal potential widespread NCAA violations, with those documents possibly exposing the sports biggest players and schools, reports Yahoo! Sports' Pat Forde and Pete Thamel.
According to the report, the documents provide background on a recruiting operation that could bring NCAA rules violations to as many as 20 schools and more than two dozen players.
The documents in question were obtained in the discovery phase of federal investigation and includes expense reports and balance sheets from former NBA agent Andy Miller, former AAU coach Christian Dawkins and his agency, ASM Sports.
Among the schools included are Duke, North Carolina, Texas, Kentucky, Michigan State, USC, Alabama with a link to providing impermissible benefits and preferential treatment for players and families of players at those schools.
“These allegations, if true, point to systematic failures that must be fixed and fixed now if we want college sports in America. Simply put, people who engage in this kind of behavior have no place in college sports. They are an affront to all those who play by the rules," NCAA president Mark Emmert said. "With these latest allegations, it's clear this work is more important now than ever. The Board and I are completely committed to making transformational changes to the game and ensuring all involved in college basketball do so with integrity. We also will continue to cooperate with the efforts of federal prosecutors to identify and punish the unscrupulous parties seeking to exploit the system through criminal acts.”
Documents also link current Michigan State forward Miles Bridges, Alabama guard Collin Sexton and Duke forward Wendell Carter as receiving benefits for themselves or for family members. Duke said Carter's eligibility has not been effected by the Yahoo! report.
San Diego State has suspended senior Malik Pope after he was alleged to have received a $1,400 payment.
A balance sheet from the ASM Sports agency show former North Carolina State guard Dennis Smith Jr. received $43,500. Smith was drafted in the first round last year by the Dallas Mavericks.
Former Seton Hall star Isaiah Whitehead received $26,136, according to the documents. Whitehead originally signed with ASM but left to join for Roc Nation. Whitehead was drafted in the second round 2016 NBA draft and now plays for the Brooklyn Nets.
Former Washington guard Markelle Fultz received $10,000, but did not sign with ASM. Fultz was chosen No. 1 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2017 NBA draft.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has already charged several college coaches in conjunction with a corruption scheme saying that those coaches, advisors and others lied and used their stature to influence high school recruits to sign with schools.
Former Oklahoma State assistant Lamont Evans, Auburn assistant Chuck Person, Emanuel "Book" Richardson of Arizona and USC assistant Tony Bland and six others, including Dawkins, have each been charged in the corruption and fraud scheme.
Dawkins, along with Adidas executives James Gatto and Merl Code have each been charged with wire fraud. Their trial begins Oct. 1.
