Questions surround OSU hoops

STILLWATER – In the aftermath of the college basketball bombshell reverberating across the sport still from Tuesday, now comes the wait for the fallout.

In some cases, like at Louisville, where Rick Pitino is done as coach and the athletic director is gone, too, the fallout came quick.

At Oklahoma State, where assistant coach Lamont Evans was one of four coaches arrested amid federal bribery and corruption allegations, there’s been mostly silence, with the exception of brief statements, as the school seeks internal answers to the pressing questions:

Who knew?

Was Evans acting strictly in his own interest with a money grab that dates back at least to his days at South Carolina, according to court documents? Or did knowledge of impropriety extend higher up, either with former coach Brad Underwood or current Cowboys coach Mike Boynton?

Dan Bernstein, a Chicago radio host and CBS Chicago senior columnist, suggested concern at Illinois in a Wednesday tweet: “Source tells me Illini officials are ‘very much aware’ that Brad Underwood could be in jeopardy after the arrest of Lamont Evans.”

Underwood worked with Evans at Kansas State and South Carolina and hired him to his staff at OSU.

Joon H. Kim, the acting U.S. Attorney, put the emphasis on the arrested assistants.

“The schools, in a way, are a victim,” Kim said. “The schools are also a victim where they have hired college coaches who are taking bribes from managers and advisers to direct players who are entrusted in their care.”

Boynton and Evans worked together one year on Underwood’s staff, before Boynton retained him.

What else?

The FBI investigation focused on making the federal case, not on uncovering NCAA issues. The court documents speak pretty strictly to that, although there are warning flags concerning possible NCAA violations. Evans, allegedly, pushed prospects for the future on the bribe-makers, seeking money to help secure high school commitments. Did Evans funnel money to any of the Cowboys’ latest recruits, or their families? That must be answered, and quick.

Calls will surely be made to ensure no wrongdoing with OSU’s one recruit in the 2018

The affidavit shows that a current Cowboy was brought into a meeting between Evans and the former financial adviser working as a government witness during the team’s trip to West Virginia last February. There are no details in the documents of the player receiving money, although that will need to be confirmed.

The same safeguards must be taken with recruits, before they ever play a minute in a game.

Some prospects have been quick to decommit from the schools involved in the scandal. So far, Jones hasn’t changed his status.

Beyond the Cowboys’ lone commitment, how does all this bad news play in the homes of players OSU is still targeting, and needs, to build a Big 12-contending roster?

Negative recruiting is already rampant in college sports, especially in basketball. And coaches at other schools will waste no time pointing out OSU’s precarious position to prospects.

Cowboys coaches, like those at the other schools involved, will be in damage control.