Buckets of evidence against elite programs
They’re starting to name names. Piles of evidence in the explosive federal investigation into the seedy underworld of college basketball are starting to leak out and signature schools like Duke, Arizona, North Carolina, Texas, Kentucky, Michigan State, USC and Kansas are all caught in the crosshairs.
Among the players named in the Yahoo Sports report are Duke’s Wendell Carter, Michigan State’s Miles Bridges and Alabama’s Collin Sexton. Some observers have already speculated that this year’s NCAA champion, which will be crowned in April, may have to vacate the title because of all the dirt that’s about to come out.
The first bits are starting to emerge. According to the Yahoo report, former NBA agent Andy Miller and his agency, ASM Sports, left a paper trail detailing dozens of payoffs to the families of current and former NCAA stars. An ASM balance sheet reportedly details huge cash advances, including two payments totaling more than $100,000 in so-called “loans” to former N.C. State player Dennis Smith Jr. (Mavericks), more than $50,000 to former Seton Hall star Isaiah Whitehead (Nets), $10,000 to Markelle Fultz (76ers), and others.
So far, former Louisville coach Rick Pitino is the biggest name to fall under the weight of this still-developing case. Pitino was fired for his apparent role in an alleged pay-to-play scandal in which Adidas is accused of bribing players to play for Louisville, though Pitino and the school were never named in the investigation.
As more details come out, it seems more likely Pitino won’t be the last giant to fall, either. In fact, late Friday ESPN reported that Arizona coach Sean Miller had been caught by the FBI discussing by phone a $100,000 payment to freshman Deandre Ayton that was meant to ensure the 7-1 center would sign with the Wildcats. The call in question was between Sean Miller and Christian Dawkins, who was working for Andy Miller, according to ESPN.
At one point in the alleged phone call, ESPN reported, Dawkins asked Sean Miller if he should go to assistant coach Emanuel (Book) Richardson to finalize the agreement, and Miller told him that all financial issues should be addressed with him.
Richardson was one of four assistant coaches arrested by the FBI on September 27.
According to the Yahoo report, former Kentucky player Edrice “Bam” Adebayo received two loans from ASM, one in the amount of $12,000 and another for $36,500. Adebayo did not sign with the agency, but did play at Kentucky last season before he was picked by the
Heat in the first round of the NBA Draft.
Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart said the school will conduct an internal investigation and has already reached out to the NCAA and the SEC. Coach John Calipari also said they will cooperate fully in the investigation in a separate statement.
“I have no relationship with Andy Miller or any of his associates. Neither my staff nor I utilized any agent, including Andy Miller or any of his associates, to provide financial benefits to a current or former Kentucky student-athlete,” Calipari said.
Former Xavier player Edmond Sumner, a second-round pick in the 2017 draft and currently in the G League, or someone in his family, allegedly received at least $7,000 from ASM while he was still in school.
In a statement to Yahoo, Xavier coach Chris Mack distanced himself and his program from Miller’s agency.
“Our staff has never created a path for him to foster a relationship with any of our student-athletes while enrolled at Xavier,” Mack said. “Any suggestion that I or anyone on my staff utilized Andy Miller to provide even the slightest of financial benefits to a Xavier student-athlete is grossly misinformed.”
The FBI has already arrested and charged several NCAA coaches and sneaker executives.
Former USC assistant Tony Bland, Oklahoma State assistant Lamont Evans, Auburn assistant Chuck Person, Arizona assistant Emanuel Richardson, as well as ASM’s Christian Dawkins and Adidas executives James Gatto and Marl Code, have all been charged in the scandal.