Several schools within the NCAA are under federal investigation for fraud and corruption in recruiting and the National Basketball Players Association is currently reviewing the case to determine whether or not there is a link between those named in the filing and NBA players, Chris Mannix of The Vertical reports.
“We are going to be rigorous in making sure that anybody who is engaged in this misconduct is out, at least in terms of being certified by this [players association] to continue to work with our players,” NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts tells Mannix.
Andy Miller, who is one of the league’s top agents, had his laptop at ASM Sports seized as part of the FBI raid earlier this week. Miller represents Kyle Lowry, Kristaps Porzingis, and Myles Turner among many other NBA players.
Roberts anticipates the scandal will impact the league and its players.
“This is the kind of criminal prosecution that generally results in people, in my words, flipping,” Roberts said. “There are too many close associations between some of the named defendants and people that I know are actively engaged with [NBA] players to think that it won’t have any impact. It will. But it’s almost good news. If people are engaged in this kind of conduct and potentially harming our players, thank you U.S. Attorney’s office, I’ll get right on it and get rid of them.
“This is the sort of thing that keeps me up at night. Our players are literally stalked because of their income by people, most with good intentions, but far too many without. It’s disturbing. I feel badly at the college level because to [an] extent it works. Frankly because these kids are not compensated in ways that would make them able to say no to overtures of that kind of cash. It needs to be addressed in the first instance at the college level, but to the extent it impacts our players, we will figure it out and take care of it.”
NCAA is such a corrupt organization
All the facts are not yet in, or at least fully exposed, but it appears players, “agents,” coaches, and athletic directors have all been implicated. I presume they will suffer the consequences of their actions.
But what about Adidas? Were they the sole or primary corrupt sponsor? If so, shouldn’t the NCAA and/or the NBA prohibit them from cutting marketing deals with any team or player for, say, the next ten years? That would set a precedent that would strongly discourage similar future infractions. Sound fair?
I don’t see what can come of this change-wise.