According to transcripts of calls read in court on Tuesday, LSU coach Will Wade and Kansas assistant Kurtis Townsend were prepared to offer improper benefits to high-profile recruits and their families.
Text messages presented by defense attorneys on Monday indicated the Kansas coaches were at least aware of former Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola's involvement in the Jayhawks' recruitment of current player Silvio De Sousa, a native of Angola.
A former consultant for Adidas, T.J. Gassnola, testified about payments he made to an ex-NC State assistant coach to influence Dennis Smith Jr. and payments to family and friends of two Kansas players, Billy Preston and Silvio De Sousa.
Ex-Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola testified he made payments to the families of Deandre Ayton, Silvio De Sousa, Dennis Smith Jr., Brian Bowen Jr. and Billy Preston.
Bill Self says today, minutes after sophomore forward Silvio De Sousa was named in federal court as receiving cash from TJ Gassnola of Adidas, that the Jayhawks are "taking the approach ... that we're going to have Silvio De Sousa" eligible to play in 2018-19.
"Our offense isn't very good," says Kansas' Bill Self. Beware the coach who criticizes his team from the outset. KU will open this season much stronger in the frontcourt than in recent seasons. It may take longer to get there, Self says, but the ceiling is extremely high.
Kansas big man Udoka Azubuike stops by "GIF Central" at media day inside Allen Fieldhouse.
Brian Bowen Sr., during testimony in a federal trial involving corruption in college basketball, rattled off cash offers made to him by universities coveting his son.
Almost a year after the first arrests were made in the FBI's investigation into college basketball corruption, jury selection has begun for the first trial.
As the first federal trial begins Monday in a corruption scandal that threatens to engulf college basketball, the coaches at four schools mentioned in the indictment are not the only ones nervous. Coaches at a half-dozen other schools could come up.
The government alleges defendants defrauded certain NCAA Division I schools by causing them to issue financial aid to players who were ineligible because their families had received illicit payments to sign with Adidas-sponsored teams.
Starting this weekend with Kansas' Late Night at the Phog, high-profile teams are using their Midnight Madness events to host some of the nation's top recruits.
Arizona recently landed five-star guard Nico Mannion. How is the rest of the 2019 class shaping up?
Tony Bennett is renowned for his defensive schemes at Virginia. Jay Wright has turned Villanova into an offensive juggernaut. Which coaches rank highest on each side of the ball?
Top recruits are starting to take their official visits, meaning it's time to make some predictions about where they're leaning.
For some teams, a win in the NCAA tournament would be a significant achievement. For the elite contenders, anything short of a Final Four run would be a disappointment.
The best offenses in college basketball will be led by a mix of returning veterans and highly ranked star recruits.
The biggest challenge to the Jayhawks' Big 12 reign will come from Kansas State.
Espn no.8 Josh Green cut his final list to six schools. He gives his thoughts to Espn on each program. Villanova: "A great school. They have an extremely successful history, especially over the last few years, winning two national championships. They have a great coaching staff who are very good at developing the team and players and helping them get to the next level." UNLV: "An opportunity for me to be able to get back out on the court with my brother Jay again. This means a lot to me as he has helped me so much in my progression as a basketball player, and I'd love for us to win a Mountain West title and help keep the program getting better and better." UNC: "A program with amazing history and they are consistently successful both as a team, and also at developing players. Growing up as a kid it was my dream school, so it's very cool for me to be able to say I could have the opportunity to play there, and for Roy Williams." Kansas: "Also a school with a history of success, and they have had many good guards come through the school and achieve great things." Arizona: "They have been with me since the start. They have a great program and staff who have really developed players well and have been very successful every year in the Pac 12." USC: "They have already got about the best recruiting class in my age group, and will be a top team in 2019. Their program is very strong and I know I would come out a much better player."
The subpoenas requested materials related to the recruitment and enrollment of two Kansas players, whose names were redacted in the documents released by the university.
Last year, it was Marvin Bagley III. This year, it's R.J. Barrett. Each of the past No. 1-ranked players have graduated early to get to college -- and the NBA -- faster.
Spoke with SG Josh Green about his recruiting process. He is thinking about UNC, Arizona, Villanova, Kansas, Michigan, and USC. Kentucky is now making a real push. He will look to cut his list right after the July period. Green is one of the more versatile and mature guards in the country. ‬He recently jumped into the top 10 of the ESPN 100.
The Blue Devils, Wildcats and Jayhawks are far and away the most talented teams in 2018-19 and they each have intriguing possibilities with their personnel.
The top programs are looking ahead to their expected recruiting needs for 2019. Here's what they're targeting.
| TEAM | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 13-5 | - | 31-8 |
| Texas Tech | 11-7 | 2 | 27-10 |
| West Virginia | 11-7 | 2 | 26-11 |
| Kansas St | 10-8 | 3 | 25-12 |
| TCU | 9-9 | 4 | 21-12 |
| Oklahoma St | 8-10 | 5 | 21-15 |
| Oklahoma | 8-10 | 5 | 18-14 |
| Baylor | 8-10 | 5 | 19-15 |
| Texas | 8-10 | 5 | 19-15 |
| Iowa State | 4-14 | 9 | 13-18 |
| NAME | POS | STATUS | GRADE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Braun | SG | Committed | - |
| Issac McBride | PG | Committed | - |
| Final Fours | 14 |
| Tournament Record | 103-45 |
| Championship Seasons | 1952, 1988, 2008 |
| Tournament Appearances | 46 |
