Donovan feels bad for mentor Pitino in NCAA corruption scandal
The FBI’s investigation into corruption in college basketball touches the professional game as well.
Thunder coach Billy Donovan didn’t end his second day of preseason practice addressing questions about the state of his team. Instead, Donovan fielded questions about Rick Pitino, one of his coaching mentors.
Pitino’s tenure as head coach at Louisville is all but over, as the Basketball Hall of Famer was placed on unpaid administrative leave as the university faces allegations of fraud and corruption in recruiting.
Donovan played for Pitino at Providence in the mid-1980’s, and broke into coaching as an assistant at the University of Kentucky under Pitino in 1989.
“I wouldn’t be standing where I am today without coach Pitino, the investment he made in my life, the values and things that he taught me,” Donovan said Wednesday. “I don’t know all the things that are going on there, but him being a college coach and then working for him for five years, we’ve always remained very close, and I feel bad for all he’s dealing with and Louisville is dealing with right now.”
As part of the investigation, the FBI reportedly raided the office of ASM Sports on Tuesday. ASM Sports is headed by Andy Miller, the agent for Thunder players Josh Huestis, Semaj Christon and training camp invitee Markel Brown. A report from lawyer Darren Heitner on Twitter said that the FBI had a warrant and seized Miller’s computer.
Huesti, Christon and Brown declined to speak to reporters Wednesday on the matter.
“It’s sad in a lot ways,” Donovan said. “You feel bad for so many different people. But I think the unfortunate part is I think for a lot of the kids over the years who are being recruited and going through it, it’s unfortunate that whether it’s people on the recruiting side or the coaching side getting in the middle of that, because I’m not so sure what kind of message it actually sends to young people. For somebody that’s been around college basketball for a long, long time, it’s just kind of disappointing in a lot of ways.”
Westbrook out, Patterson limited
The Russell Westbrook Watch continues.
With his shorts rolled up on the far end of the Thunder practice facility, Westbrook took set shots with Thunder coaching staff after practice Tuesday, but didn’t participate in practice for the second consecutive day.
Last week, Westbrook received a platelet-rich plasma injection in the patellar tendon of his left knee.
Patrick Patterson missed the first day of Thunder practice Monday, but was more active on Day 2, according to Donovan. Patterson is about a month and a half removed from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
“Patrick did a little bit, but I’d say for the most part he was out,” Donovan said. “He did a lot less than he did more.”
It’s undetermined if Patterson or Westbrook will participate in the Thunder’s Blue and White scrimmage Sunday.
Stat of the day
It remains to be seen what the Thunder will look like on the floor with Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George, but online sports book Bovada.lv thinks Oklahoma City is currently even with San Antonio as the biggest challenge to the Warriors in the Western Conference. Bovada has the Thunder and Spurs each listed at 15-to-2 odds to win the Western Conference, second best behind the Warriors’ odds. Houston is fourth at
Western Conference odds to win
1. Golden State Tie-2. Oklahoma City 15/2, San Antonio 4. Houston 5. Minnesota Tie-6. Denver L.A. Clippers L.A. Lakers
New Orleans Tie-10. Portland
12. Memphis
13. Dallas Tie-14. Phoenix Sacramento Utah