KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Latest from Big 12 media day in Kansas City, Missouri (all times local):
2:50 p.m.
University of Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod says the school is awaiting guidance from prosecutors on what steps to take after three college basketball insiders were convicted of wire fraud in a case that ensnared the school.
In a statement issued by Girod and athletic director Jeff Long, the school said once it is cleared by the Justice Department to move forward, it would begin working with the NCAA to review information presented during trial. Kansas also intends to review the eligibility of all its athletes.
Ex-Adidas official James Gatto, consultant Merl Code and NBA agent runner Christian Dawkins were found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The trio had been accused of funneling money to players to attend Kansas, Louisville and other schools sponsored by the apparel company.
Girod says no decision has been made about a long-term contract extension with Adidas. The sides had agreed to a $191 million extension in late 2017 but the contract was never signed.
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2:30 p.m.
Kansas coach Bill Self says he will comment on the guilty verdict of three college basketball insiders during a trial that ensnared his program once his university issues a statement.
Ex-Adidas official James Gatto, consultant Merl Code and NBA agent runner Christian Dawkins were found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The trio had been accused of funneling money to players to attend Kansas, Louisville and other schools sponsored by the apparel company.
Self was still at Sprint Center for the Big 12’s media day when he was informed of the verdict. He says Kansa will make a statement “and certainly we’ll make one right after that.”
Self announced earlier Wednesday that Silvio De Sousa, whose guardian is accused of accepting money in the scheme, would be held out of competition pending an investigation.
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12:50 p.m.
Kansas officials say they are not concerned about having to forfeit last year’s Big 12 title or Final Four appearance as part of the fallout of the investigation into college basketball corruption.
Silvio De Sousa’s guardian was accused during the trial of ex-Adidas official James Gatto of accepting money from people associated with the apparel company, which could have rendered him ineligible. De Sousa graduated from IMG Academy last December and participated in the Jayhawks’ tournament run.
Coach Bill Self and other school officials believe the NCAA had cleared De Sousa at that point, and anything that may have come to light during the recent trial would not make a difference. De Sousa will not play in games this season pending an investigation into his eligibility.
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12:05 p.m.
Kansas coach Bill Self says he has been told to “refrain from any comment” related to the college basketball corruption trial that has resulted in the benching of forward Silvio De Sousa.
Self’s name has been mentioned during the federal trial of ex-Adidas executive James Gatto, who along with two others is accused, of funneling money from the apparel company to certain schools. A defense attorney has claimed that Self and assistant Kurtis Townsend knew of the payments.
Self was speaking at the Big 12’s annual media day. He said in a statement earlier in the day that De Sousa, a sophomore forward, would be held out pending an investigation into his eligibility.
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11:35 a.m.
West Virginia forward Sagaba Konate and guard James Bolden have spent most of the preseason standing on the sideline, and coach Bob Huggins says the Mountaineers’ biggest need these days is “to get healthy.”
Konate was second in the NCAA in blocked shots last season and led the Big 12 in rebounding, while Bolden averaged nearly nine points while playing 37 games last season.
Huggins said neither has practiced “in quite a while,” though both should be ready to go when the Mountaineers play their opener against Buffalo on Nov. 9. They also have an exhibition game against Alderson Broaddus scheduled for a week from Saturday.
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11:15 a.m.
The biggest debate to come out of Big 12 media day may involve what team is reloading the most.
TCU coach Jamie Dixon pointed out that he has five guys returning but “the other eight are brand new, haven’t played any college basketball.” Oklahoma State’s Mike Boynton joked that expectations are so low for his newcomers that “the votes we got probably qualify for 11th or 12th but there are only 10 teams.”
Then there’s Baylor coach Scott Drew, whose team lost just about every key player from last season. He has one of the freshest rosters in all of Division I basketball this year.
Even top-ranked Kansas lost most of its key pieces. But the Jayhawks are buoyed by three Division I transfers and one of the nation’s best recruiting classes.
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10:15 a.m.
Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby say he anticipates the NCAA will launch its own investigation into college basketball corruption once the ongoing federal trials are complete.
Bowlsby also says he’s spoken with Kansas coach Bill Self, whose name has been raised in testimony during one trial in New York, and that he anticipates a statement to be made once that verdict is returned.
Bowlsby mostly sidestepped questions about the case, which has centered on a former Adidas executive and his ties to Louisville and Kansas. But he did acknowledge “any time there are accusations made we take them very seriously. Integrity in our conference is vitally important.”
Bowlsby says the allegations go “right to the heart of the culture of our conference.”
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9:50 a.m.
Kansas forward Silvio De Sousa, whose name surfaced as part of the FBI’s investigation into corruption in college basketball, will be withheld from competition pending a review of his eligibility.
Jayhawks coach Bill Self said in a statement before appearing at the Big 12’s annual media day Wednesday that the sophomore forward would be held out beginning with Thursday’s exhibition game.
During the trial of former Adidas executive James Gatto, ex-AAU coach T.J. Gassnola testified that he facilitated payments to De Sousa’s guardian in an attempt to steer him toward Kansas. Gassnola denied that the Jayhawks’ coaching staff knew about the payments.
De Sousa graduated from IMG Academy last December and joined the Jayhawks for the spring semester, providing valuable interior depth as the school made a run to the Final Four.
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8:30 a.m.
The Big 12 Conference has announced an extension of its contract to keep its men’s basketball tournament in Kansas City through 2024, along with a four-year scheduling pact with the Big East.
Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said Wednesday that there was little debate whether to keep the tournament at Sprint Center. The previous contract was set to expire after the 2020 season.
As for the Big East alliance, Bowlsby said it was designed to address the scheduling concerns of many coaches. The Big 12 already plays a double round-robin schedule, and as other large leagues go to 20-game conference slates, it has become difficult to add competitive nonconference games.
The alliance will begin next year, with five games played at Big 12 venues and five played at Big East venues. Kansas-Villanova, Texas-Providence, Oklahoma-Creighton and Kansas State-Marquette are set, with the remaining games still to be scheduled.
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