This is the second time KU has self-imposed sanctions in current NCAA infractions case
The University of Kansas’ announcement Wednesday that it is self-imposing sanctions on its men’s basketball program marks the second time the school has penalized itself over an NCAA infractions case stemming from a notice of allegations received in September 2019.
As part of self-imposed sanctions this past spring and summer, KU head coach Bill Self and assistant Kurtis Townsend did not attend any AAU recruiting events during evaluation periods, including events on the Nike, Adidas and Under Armour circuits. That included the season-ending Peach Jam.
Now, in what KU Chancellor Douglas Girod said Wednesday are “actions” that KU believes “move us closer to resolving this matter,” the Jayhawks have self-imposed a fresh batch of penalties.
• the absence of Self and Townsend from all off-campus recruiting-related activities for four months (April through July 2022)
• the reduction of four official visits during this academic year and in 2023-24
• the reduction of three total scholarships in basketball to be distributed over the next three years
• the implementation of a six-week ban on recruiting communications
• a six-week ban on unofficial visits
• and a 13-day reduction in the number of permissible recruiting days during the 2022-23 calendar year.
Also, according to the university, there were no official recruiting visits for the recent 2022 Late Night in the Phog.
College basketball writer Jeff Goodman said Wednesday that KU isn’t expected to receive actual penalties from the NCAA’s Independent Accountability Resolution Process (IARP) until after the 2022-23 season.
So, in effect, what happened Wednesday is that KU self-imposed additional penalties for the IARP to ponder as it decides whether the school’s own punishment of the program is enough to settle a case that has dragged on for several years following an FBI investigation into college basketball recruiting.
What does the NCAA allege KU has done wrong?
The NCAA is investigating KU for five alleged Level One violations in the program.
The case, which involves no current players, started in September 2017, when the FBI arrested 10 individuals in what the government described as a widespread scheme to “defraud” college basketball.
KU received a notice of allegations from the NCAA in September 2019 stemming from allegations that Adidas representatives provided recruits’ families or guardians money as a recruiting inducement to attend Kansas. KU has claimed to have no knowledge of any money handed from Adidas to prospects.
Self in 2019 responded to the notice of allegations by saying the notice was “unsubstantiated” and that he and the university would “vigorously dispute” what was alleged.
The NCAA contends that former Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola was acting as a booster of KU when he paid $90,000 to the mother of former KU team member Billy Preston and $2,500 to the guardian former KU player Silvio De Sousa. KU has denied wrongdoing and has the position Adidas is not a booster of the school.
Both KU and Self have attorneys working the case and monitoring developments. KU officials indicate there will be no further comment on this matter until after Thursday’s exhibition game against Pittsburg State in which Self will address the media after coaching that exhibition.
OSU case was decided by infractions committee
The NCAA’s committee on infractions (not the IARP) in June 2020 handed Oklahoma State a postseason ban for the 2020-21 season, the first program to be served with sanctions following the FBI’s investigation into college hoops
The committee took away three scholarships and fined the school $10,000 plus 1% of its men’s basketball budget. The sanctions stemmed from a Level One unethical conduct charge against former OSU associate head coach Lamont Evans. Evens ultimately served three months in prison in summer 2019.
OSU appealed the penalties. The school’s appeal was denied, and the postseason ban was served in the 2021-22 postseason.
There are no appeals allowed in cases decided by the IARP, which is being disbanded once it renders decisions on four cases: those involving KU, Arizona, LSU and Louisville.
A look at the two cases decided by IARP
The IARP recently decided a case against Memphis basketball.
In a stroke of good news for Memphis, the group dropped four Level One violations to Level II and III offenses. Memphis was fined and received three years probation. The program had to forfeit three games in which recruit James Wiseman played. It was alleged by the NCAA that he received inducements to play for the Tigers.
Memphis coach Penny Hardaway was not suspended for any games by the IARP, and there was no postseason ban for the Tigers.
The IARP resolved a case against North Carolina State in December 2021. Like Memphis, N.C. State did not receive a postseason tourney ban. The team did suffer some scholarship losses and had to forfeit 15 wins in which former Wolfpack guard Dennis Smith participated.
Former coach Mark Gottfried was given a one-year show-cause penalty and assistant Orlando Early a six-year show-cause.
Arizona, like KU, has self-imposed penalties in response to the FBI case. The Wildcats self-imposed an NCAA Tournament ban for the 2021 tourney and is awaiting final word on actual penalties.
This story was originally published November 2, 2022 at 1:24 PM.
