BREAKING: Exclusive: Federal documents detail sweeping potential NCAA violations involving high-profile players, schools
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.
Yahoo Sports viewed hundreds of pages of documents from the years-long probe that had federal authorities monitoring multiple targets and intercepting more than 4,000 calls across 330 days, providing a clear-eyed view into the pervasive nature of the games underground economy.
While three criminal cases tied to the investigation may take years to play out, the documents viewed by Yahoo revealed the extent of the potential NCAA ramifications from the case. 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.
The documents tie some of the biggest names and programs in the sport to activity that appears to violate the NCAAs amateurism rules. This could end up casting a pall over the NCAA tournament because of eligibility issues. (NCAA officials declined a request for comment.) Theres 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. The documents link some of the sports biggest current stars Michigan States Miles Bridges, Alabamas Collin Sexton and Dukes Wendell Carter to specific potential extra benefits for either the athletes or their family members. The amounts tied to players in the case range from basic meals to tens of thousands of dollars.
An ASM balance sheet in the hands of federal investigators shows accounts through Dec. 31, 2015, with the subheading, Loan to Players. It listed several who were in high school or college as receiving four-figure and five-figure payments from ASM Sports. Among the largest listed loans:
Dennis Smith, who would go on to play at North Carolina State in 2016-17, received $43,500 according to the documents. Another document headed Pina, for ASM agent Stephen Pina, says Smith received a total of $73,500 in loans, and includes notes about options to recoup the money when Smith did not sign with ASM.
Isaiah Whitehead, at the time a freshman at Seton Hall, received $26,136 according to the documents. The Pina document says Whitehead received $37,657 and was setting up payment plan. Whitehead signed with ASM but later left the agency for Roc Nation.
Tim Quarterman, at the time a junior at LSU, received at least $16,000 according to the balance sheet.
Diamond Stone, at the time a freshman at Maryland, received $14,303 according to the documents.
A listing that refers to BAM for $12,000 is later identified in the documents as Edrice Bam Adebayo, who would go on to play at Kentucky in 2016-17. He did not sign with ASM. Theres a later reference to Adebayo that says he received $36,500. Bad loan, reads the document.
Markelle Fultz, who would go on to play at Washington and become the No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft, received $10,000 according to the documents. He did not sign with ASM.
Yahoo Sports reached out to officials at N.C. State, Seton Hall, Maryland, Kentucky and Washington. They all declined comment or did not return correspondence.