Hoops audit?

A trial in federal court in New York has continued this week into accusations by the FBI involving shoe company executives and agents arranging for payments to college basketball recruits and their families.

It’s not a good look for the sport, but coaches asked about the trial at SEC media days said it doesn’t mean every program is dirty.

“Every walk of life — every industry — needs to be audited once in a while,” South Carolina Coach Frank Martin said. “This is our audit, and whatever’s broken, it’ll get fixed.

“I’m not going to sit here and act like I don’t know some of the things that go on in the business. It’s my job to know.

“I’m not into cheating. But I don’t sit at home and whine about the people that do, because they’re the ones jeopardizing their schools, their families, their careers. That’s their decision to make in life. I choose not to go in that direction.

“What I hope is that whatever mistakes are being made — some of the stuff that the public is learning about that some of us kind of knew was going on — gets cleaned up.”

Martin said cheating is not widespread in college basketball.

“The rest of the business operates pretty good,” he said. “It’s not as bad as it’s made out to be … But let’s fix the problems, build on the good and continue to move forward.”

According to SI.com, defense attorney Casey Donnelly told the court — without jurors present — that the FBI had recorded a conversation between his client — aspiring agent Christian Dawkins — and LSU Coach Will Wade about possible payments to a recruit.

“Certainly it was a little bit surprising,” Wade said of having his name come up at the trial. “I’m not really going to react to what the defense attorney said.

“I will say I’m very proud of everything I’ve done as LSU’s head coach. I have never, ever done business of any kind with Christian Dawkins … That’s what I’ll say about that.”