Quick Hitters
Pitino outraged at NCAA penalties, Louisville will appeal
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The NCAA didn’t feel Louisville went far enough with its self-imposed sanctions following a sex scandal investigation, so the governing body Thursday handed down a few more.
An outraged Rick Pitino feels the NCAA went too far.
After completing its investigation of Katina Powell’s allegations that she and other escorts where hired to have sex parties and strip for Louisville recruits and players, antics the NCAA described as “repugnant,” it benched the Cardinals men’s basketball coach for five games and imposed several other penalties.
Pitino’s suspension is less than Jim Boeheim and Larry Brown recently received for NCAA violations.
Still, Louisville said it is appealing the NCAA’s decision, and even that wasn’t enough for Pitino. He fired a few salvos at the NCAA after reviewing the report.
“Not only was this unjust and over the top in its severity,” the coach said at a news conference, “but I’ve lost a lot of faith in the NCAA.”
Pitino, who has repeatedly denied any knowledge of former assistant Andre McGee’s interactions with Powell, wasn’t done.
“We are devastated by the news, all of us are,” the Hall of Fame coach added. “But moving forward we believe we will win the appeal because it’s right and it’s just, and what went on was unjust and inconceivable.”
The NCAA suspended Pitino for five Atlantic Coast Conference games; Boeheim and Brown each served nine-game suspensions for their indiscretions.
Louisville had self-imposed several sanctions, including a postseason ban in 2015-16.
The NCAA accepted those, and tacked on more. The other penalties Louisville received include vacating wins in which ineligible players participated, placing the basketball program on four years’ probation, and issuing a 10-year show-cause order for McGee, Louisville’s former basketball operations director.
The NCAA has not vacated the Cardinals’ 2013 national championship — yet. And that might be one reason Pitino and Louisville officials are adamant about appealing the decision.
Fultz happy to land with Celtics or Lakers
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Markelle Fultz wants to be the first player chosen in the NBA draft next week, either by the Boston Celtics or whatever team ends up with their No. 1 pick.
Just in case he isn’t, he also wants the Los Angeles Lakers to know what they can get at No. 2.
Fultz went through an hour-long private workout for the Lakers on Thursday before meeting with the team’s top brass at their training complex. The Maryland-born University of Washington product is generally expected to be the top pick, but he has stayed in close contact with the Lakers since the draft combine.
“It was a family decision,” Fultz said of his willingness to work out for Los Angeles. “Giving everybody the opportunity. Never know where I might land, so I just wanted to see how it is out here.”
Fultz didn’t have to work out for anyone at all, and some consensus No. 1 picks choose to work out only for the top team. The Celtics already hosted Fultz, but the slick scorer said he isn’t afraid of a little extra scrutiny.