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Scandal hangs over college hoops entering new season
Men’s college basketball is better than ever on the floor. Scoring is up, star players fill every corner of the country and fan support is sky high.
Off the floor, it has an image problem — the suggestion of a dark underbelly.
Earlier this year, federal investigators began to reveal the findings of a probe focused on the sport, alleging a web of bribes and kickbacks from shoe companies funneled toward recruits. The arrests of 10 people, including assistant coaches at four prominent schools, casts a shadow over the games heading into the 2017-18 season — and likely beyond.
“It’s a big egg on a lot of our faces,” Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak said. “It kind of speaks for the entire entity, and we’re part of it.”
The federal investigation led to the arrests of assistant coaches from No. 3 Arizona, No. 10 Southern California, Auburn and Oklahoma State, along with an Adidas marketing executive. The probe has already taken down No. 16 Louisville coach Rick Pitino and athletic director Tom Jurich, and more shoes could drop as the investigation digs deeper.
The teams already in the crosshairs — Miami is also among them — will play with uncertainty. Will its players remain eligible? Will the investigation reach all the way to the head coach? Are NCAA sanctions on the horizon?
The other major programs, particularly those with high-end recruits, could be looking over their shoulders all season to see if they will become ensnared.
“You have to eliminate the clutter and understand the class has to be tight,” said Arizona coach Sean Miller, who is preparing for his ninth season leading the Wildcats. “You have to talk to people, but only we know what happens on a daily basis in our program.”
On the court, Miller has the type of team that could end his Final Four-free tenure. The Wildcats have a solid core of experienced players returning from last season’s Sweet 16 team — preseason All-American Allonzo Trier among them — to go with a stellar recruiting class, highlighted by athletic big man Deandre Ayton.
Of course, there are plenty of deep, talented teams capable of making a run to San Antonio, the site of this season’s Final Four. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils are No. 1 for the second straight preseason, thanks to a lineup that returns senior Grayson Allen and will include top recruit Marvin Bagley III.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo always seems to get the most out of his team in March and has plenty to work with this season, playing with a stacked deck bolstered by the return of preseason All-American Miles Bridges.
No. 4 Kansas has reloaded and is gunning for Big 12 title No. 14 in a row. No. 5 Kentucky is a national contender again, too, but you knew that already — coach John Calipari is never without a roster full of future NBA players.
North Carolina lost a lot from last season’s national championship-winning roster, but the return of point guard Joel Berry II is huge for the Tar Heels, even if he will miss the start of the season after breaking his hand punching a door.
“We’re not defending (the national championship), because it’s not the same team playing against the same teams,” Tar Heels coach Roy Williams said, “but we’re the only team that can go out and say we could do this a second year in a row.”
Tigers fire Person
AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn University has fired associate head coach Chuck Person, who has been indicted on federal bribery, conspiracy and fraud charges.
The university announced the move Wednesday, a day after Person and seven others were indicted by a federal grand jury in New York City. An Auburn release said Person “is no longer an employee. As such, this is in the hands of the criminal justice system.” The school said he was fired Oct. 18. Person, 53, had been suspended without pay after his arrest in September.
His attorney, Theresa Trzaskoma, said Tuesday that Person didn’t commit any crimes. Person allegedly received $91,500 in bribes to steer Auburn players to Pittsburgh financial adviser Marty Blazer when they turn pro. Person told Blazer he gave $18,500 of that to the families of two Auburn players, according to a federal complaint.
Auburn is indefinitely holding out center Austin Wiley and forward Danjel Purifoy, citing “potential eligibility issues.”