Yahoo Sports’ bombshell report on recruiting practices in college basketball doesn’t bode well for the sport. It appears that Syracuse isn’t implicated.
March Madness is right around the corner, but unfortunately there is a dark and stormy cloud hovering over college basketball, and where the allegations – and possible penalties – will end is anybody’s guess.
Take a look at several excerpts from a Yahoo Sports article released on Friday morning:
"“Documents and bank records obtained in discovery during the federal investigation into the underbelly of college basketball detail in meticulous fashion the expenditures of prominent former NBA agent Andy Miller, his former associate Christian Dawkins and his agency, ASM Sports. They include expense reports and balance sheets that list cash advances, as well as entertainment and travel expenses for high school and college prospects and their families. … The documents show an underground recruiting operation that could create NCAA rules issues – both current and retroactive – for at least 20 Division I basketball programs and more than 25 players.”"
Now, I think that’s important to reserve judgment until this plays out further, however, I would add that this Yahoo Sports report is pretty darn alarming.
The Yahoo Sports story notes “potential impermissible benefits and preferential treatment for players and families of players at Duke, North Carolina, Texas, Kentucky, Michigan State, USC, Alabama and a host of other schools.”
Duke and UNC? Wow.
Yahoo Sports says that the “amounts tied to players in the case range from basic meals to tens of thousands of dollars.”
"Per a Syracuse.com report on Friday morning, “The documents included in the Yahoo [Sports] report include the names of many players next to a column that contains a dollar amount under the heading ‘amount of loan.’”"
That list, says Syracuse.com, “does not include any current or former Syracuse player.”
In reading this Yahoo Sports article, I saw that the apparent name of John Gillon, a graduate transfer who suited up for the Orange hoops squad in 2016-17, is found in a hand-written manner on one of the documents. The name “Syracuse” is also hand-written underneath Gillon’s name.
For the most part in these documents, the players’ names are typed, with dollar amounts listed next to their names. There is no dollar amount next to Gillon’s name.
Syracuse.com reported that Gillon “hired ASM’s Steven Pina” as his agent, and that Gillon also “participated in the company’s Pro Day.”
Gillon said via text message to Syracuse.com that “Steve is a family friend so I’ve known him a
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long time. I never received any type of payment from him.”
More from Syracuse.com: “Pina has been the agent for many of Syracuse’s best players over the past three years including Malachi Richardson, Chris McCullough, Rakeem Christmas and Trevor Cooney. His name had not appeared in the FBI’s initial complaint or in previous stories about alleged payments. Pina continues to work for ASM Sports.”
As context, federal-government officials, including those at the FBI, announced last September that they had arrested 10 people, including four men’s hoops coaches, “in connection with two related fraud and corruption schemes,” according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release.
This federal investigation, among other things, ultimately cost Rick Pitino his job as the head coach at Louisville, and how widespread this alleged fraud and corruption go isn’t clear.
Thankfully, it seems that the ‘Cuse is “safe,” so to speak. At least, for the time being, because you never know what will come out next. SU is just beginning to get past its own recent sanctions from the NCAA and does not need additional issues to arise.
With the Big Dance only a mere few weeks away, how the information detailed in the Yahoo Sports reporting could affect the NCAA Tournament is entirely up in the air.
I will continue to cheer on my beloved Orange and try to enjoy college basketball – my favorite sport – as best that I can. However, all of these allegations, if true, really make me sick to my stomach.
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And the dire direction of collegiate hoops, sadly, may only grow far worse before it gets any better.