NCAA Views Kansas’ Alleged Violations As ‘Egregious’

The University of Kansas Men’s Basketball program has been under investigation by the NCAA for what feels like forever. On Thursday, the NCAA fired back, calling the programs five Level I alleged violations “egregious” while also threatening the future of college athletics.

For context, the NCAA was investigating Kansas and some other college basketball programs that had representatives from Adidas acting as boosters, giving money to recruits so that they would possibly come to that school. These payments became the focal point of an investigation by the FBI, looking into programs like Kansas.

In a statement, the NCAA said that the practices by Kansas the other schools gave an unfair advantage to those schools in recruiting. “The institution secured significant recruiting and competitive advantages by committing alleged Level I men’s basketball violations. The institution, in taking its defiant posture in this case, is indifferent to how alleged violations may have adversely impacted other NCAA institutions who acted in compliance with NCAA legislation.”

As it pertains to Kansas, the university has admitted that money was given to the parents of various recruits, but head coach Bill Self and his assistant Kurtis Townsend were unaware of these payments which the two have reiterated in sworn testimony. The NCAA has countered that claim by Self and Townsend as well as another Kansas assistant coach, Jerrance Howard with video and text messages that show that the three men were in talks with the Adidas representatives about payments to prospective recruits. Adidas also paid close to a quarter of a million dollars for an induction party for Self when he was voted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

The university has dug its feet in saying in a statement on Thursday that they stand by their coach and that they did not violate any rules. “The NCAA enforcement staff’s reply does not in any way change the University of Kansas’ position that the allegations brought against our men’s basketball program are simply baseless and littered with false representations.”

The university will have the opportunity to argue its case in front of the NCAA Committee on Infractions. Most likely the committee will side with the NCAA, meaning that Kansas will have to appeal the most likely severe penalties. 

SLIDESHOW: 50 GREAT SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019