Shabazz Muhammad to UCLA

[airowe]

Amateurism of Shabazz Muhammad in question: http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...ds-eligibility

[Duvall]

Amateurism of Shabazz Muhammad in question: http://www.cbssports.com/collegebask...ds-eligibility

Clearly the best course for Muhammad would be to rehabilitate his image by attending a school with a reputation for doing things the right way.

[Papa John]

Clearly the best course for Muhammad would be to rehabilitate his image by attending a school with a reputation for doing things the right way.

Sorry, but the NCAA is so full of it - it is absolutely unbelievable... How arrogant, petulant, and [oxy]moronic can these j-holes actually be?

[yancem]

Sorry, but the NCAA is so full of $#!t it is absolutely unbelievable... How arrogant, petulant, and [oxy]moronic can these j-holes actually be?

I don't know, seems like kind of a tricky situation. It appears that the relationships were formed prior to it being obvious that Bazz was a likely nba prospect but money didn't end up being spent until he was getting consideration from division 1 schools. My family has a close friend that is a financial adviser but he didn't pay for my college visits. That seems like a rather interesting if not odd thing to offer (and the article implies that Mr. Lincoln approached the Muhammads). And Mr. Kavanagh didn't start supporting the aau team until this year and he states that he is interested in representing Bazz. Even if everything is/was by the letter of the law, it seems a bit shady to me and if I had a son that was likely to receive a Division 1 scholarship, I probably would try my best to avoid any of these financial transactions relationships.

[Jderf]

I don't know, seems like kind of a tricky situation. It appears that the relationships were formed prior to it being obvious that Bazz was a likely nba prospect but money didn't end up being spent until he was getting consideration from division 1 schools. My family has a close friend that is a financial adviser but he didn't pay for my college visits. That seems like a rather interesting if not odd thing to offer (and the article implies that Mr. Lincoln approached the Muhammads). And Mr. Kavanagh didn't start supporting the aau team until this year and he states that he is interested in representing Bazz. Even if everything is/was by the letter of the law, it seems a bit shady to me and if I had a son that was likely to receive a Division 1 scholarship, I probably would try my best to avoid any of these financial transactions relationships.

Maybe. But there are just so many worse things going on out there. Some athletes are rumored to be pulling in hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some kids go on inexplicable shopping sprees and deck themselves out in "gifted" jewelry. Some kids are even doing drugs and abusing their own teammates, both mentally and physically. And Shabazz Muhammad is guilty of... going to see a college campus? With a little financial help from a family friend? Which they also reported openly, before the fact? I see nothing "shady" here.

[Jderf]

Which they also reported openly, before the fact? I see nothing "shady" here.

And also, I should add, through official channels. In the worst case, perhaps I could understand if the NCAA requested that the Muhammad family pay back those sums. But if Shabazz loses any amount of eligibility, that is, if he is suspended for any games, I would be pretty disappointed.

[MCFinARL]

I don't know, seems like kind of a tricky situation. It appears that the relationships were formed prior to it being obvious that Bazz was a likely nba prospect but money didn't end up being spent until he was getting consideration from division 1 schools. My family has a close friend that is a financial adviser but he didn't pay for my college visits. That seems like a rather interesting if not odd thing to offer (and the article implies that Mr. Lincoln approached the Muhammads). And Mr. Kavanagh didn't start supporting the aau team until this year and he states that he is interested in representing Bazz. Even if everything is/was by the letter of the law, it seems a bit shady to me and if I had a son that was likely to receive a Division 1 scholarship, I probably would try my best to avoid any of these financial transactions relationships.

Well, as to the Lincoln situation, at least, it seems pretty benign to me if you look at it another way. Lincoln is from Raleigh and a family friend. When it begins to appear that Shabazz will be interested in playing college ball, he says, "Why don't you come visit me and take an unofficial look around Duke and UNC?" And he volunteers to pay for the plane ticket. And the family reports the whole thing to the NCAA. That scenario seems plausibly innocent to me.

As far as I have seen reported, Lincoln, though a financial advisor by profession, has not (unlike Kavanagh) expressed an interest in representing Shabazz, and the idea (floated on some other comment boards) that he might be funneling Shabazz to a particular school is belied by the fact that Shabazz apparently visited both UNC and Duke on the trip--if you are promoting a school, you don't facilitate a visit to its arch rival.

As for Kavanagh, his "I'd like to represent Muhammad" statement raises eyebrows--but again, the fact that everyone is being so open about this, and that Kavanagh has connections to the coach of the aau team, not just Bazz, suggests, at least, that nothing shady or nefarious is going on, whether or not they were right about thinking it met the letter and spirit of NCAA rules.

[RoyalBlue08]

Seems to me the NCAA is trying to police rules that are so grey it is impossible. So if a true family friend flies a kid around that is fine, but if his motivation is that he is a great at basketball then this is a violation. Insane. How can you ever truly know someone's motivations. The more and more I look at the NCAA the more and more I am with the Bilas model. Schools or boosters for a specific school giving money should be a violation, but if the kids get money from someone or some company that isn't affiliated with the school, it should just be their own business. I'm not sure who gets hurt in that situation.

With all that said, it's sad that this news has made me a little less excited about the prospect of signing Shabazz. While I don't agree with the rules and it very well maybe that he is a great kid that would never do anything wrong, anything that gets near tarnishing Duke reputation is not something I would want to risk. I have a feeling I am probably in the minority on this though. (probably rightfully so)

[roywhite]

Shabazz and Duke?
I don't know for sure, but it just doesn't feel right.

Not a tidy recruitment, but a long drawn-out process, and seems to be waaay more interest in the basketball part of being a college basketball player.

[Mike Corey]

Don't believe everything you read.

There's some Machiavellian stuff going on here behind the scenes, IMO.

[Jderf]

Don't believe everything you read.

There's some Machiavellian stuff going on here behind the scenes, IMO.

A tantalizing statement. Care to elaborate?

[Lord Ash]

Airowe has stated, on another forum, that it appears that the Kentucky staff may have been the ones to have brought this to the attention of the NCAA. Why they would do this is anyones speculation. Usually Airowe is pretty careful with what he says and he is often accurate, so I hope this does not count as rumor mongering.

[Tjenkins]

So, the NCAA allows professional athletes like Brandon Weeden and Chris Weinke to play college football. But something that happened when Muhammad was 12 could jeopardize his "amateur status"?

Please.

I generally take the side of the NCAA when an obviously dirty coach or program gets busted (such as Harrick,Sutton or Calhoun), but it's getting harder and harder to take them seriously.

[killerleft]

Don't believe everything you read.

There's some Machiavellian stuff going on here behind the scenes, IMO.

I would assume that this means that some schools (read Kentucky, maybe?, and others) may have leaked this info to the NCAA in order to steer the player away from Duke or UNC? And that the NCAA is being used to do the dirty work?

[Mike Corey]

I would assume that this means that some schools (read Kentucky, maybe?, and others) may have leaked this info to the NCAA in order to steer the player away from Duke or UNC? And that the NCAA is being used to do the dirty work?

That is my sneaking suspicion, yes.

If Calipari can taint Shabazz's name, he'll get the blueboods to back off...knowing full well that Kentucky has no problem with pursuing someone with some question marks by their name. Kentucky will then be able to keep the full court press on while others back off, so Kentucky can then say, "We stuck with you when times got tough. No one else did. Come to Kentucky."

[MCFinARL]

That is my sneaking suspicion, yes.

If Calipari can taint Shabazz's name, he'll get the blueboods to back off...knowing full well that Kentucky has no problem with pursuing someone with some question marks by their name. Kentucky will then be able to keep the full court press on while others back off, so Kentucky can then say, "We stuck with you when times got tough. No one else did. Come to Kentucky."

This raises an interesting point--given that, according to Shabazz's dad, all of this stuff was reported to the NCAA by the family, why would the NCAA get agitated about it now? Should we assume that the NCAA doesn't necessarily look at what crosses their desks unless a wheel starts squeaking (probably a plausible assumption)?

[Mike Corey]

The reporting of it is only popping up now. Right before Shabazz's visit to Tobacco Road.

[enick66]

That is my sneaking suspicion, yes.

If Calipari can taint Shabazz's name, he'll get the blueboods to back off...knowing full well that Kentucky has no problem with pursuing someone with some question marks by their name. Kentucky will then be able to keep the full court press on while others back off, so Kentucky can then say, "We stuck with you when times got tough. No one else did. Come to Kentucky."

Also, the article mentions paid for visits to Duke and UNC by the advisor and the fact that Kansas and UCLA are Adidas schools and Adidas sponsors his AAU team, but conveniently mentions nothing untoward about UK.

[MCFinARL]

The reporting of it is only popping up now. Right before Shabazz's visit to Tobacco Road.

Ah, I see your point.

[Duvall]

The reporting of it is only popping up now. Right before Shabazz's visit to Tobacco Road.

And right after UCLA's program was nationally blasted for questionable recruiting choices.