Coach K Recruiting Violation? Duke Investigating Mike Krzyzewski

DURHAM, N.C. — Duke is investigating whether an NCAA recruiting rule was violated when coach Mike Krzyzewski reportedly offered a scholarship to a recruit during a summer tournament.

Forward Alex Poythress told CBSSports.com that Krzyzewski spoke to him earlier this week while he was in Orlando, Fla., for a tournament with his AAU team, the Georgia Stars, and offered him a scholarship.

NCAA rules prevent coaches from contacting recruits before they are finished playing in tournaments.

Duke spokesman Jon Jackson said in a statement Saturday that the school is gathering facts and that "proper adherence to NCAA bylaws has always been, and will continue to be, a cornerstone of Duke Athletics."

Poythress is a 6-foot-7 forward from Clarksville, Tenn. He is considered one of the nation's top high school seniors.

Comments

[Chuck Dick]

11:30 PM on 08/01/2011

NCAA rules are so Byzantine and arbitrary. A bunch of oldsters sitting around creating useless rules to make sure beer companies can sponsor games, yet prevent alcohol from flowing at same games. Joke.

[Dominick Roffo]

10:59 PM on 08/01/2011

All of this is over 1 phone call. He might not have done anything wrong. Duke is telling the NCAA what happend and being forthcoming. If he did do something wrong, the violation is pretty minor and Duke will get off with a warning. This is NO BIG DEAL.

[wassabi3333]

04:31 PM on 08/01/2011

He is such a cheater!! Of course Duke won't do anything about it!! They care more about trying to win, than care about integrity!! Even though, those tarheels are gonna put it to them this year, I guess that's why he is trying to cheat, so maybe they can hang next year!!

[BlueZoo]

04:20 PM on 08/01/2011

Surprise, surprise, surprise...NOT!

[Jacob007]

01:48 PM on 08/01/2011

If your not cheating your not trying.

[flyers]

08:48 AM on 08/01/2011

At this point they should just pay the players and it will get rid of black market that engulfs College Sports. We all knew that Cam Newton was getting paid to goto Auburn, why not cut the middle man and actually pay these guys just like pro sports, so you know who are the big spenders. Right now the only way to succeed in College Sports, and to recruit these guys illegally because you are essentially outbidding other schools to get them to come there.

[WhatWhat1]

12:29 PM on 08/02/2011

Problem a) Not all schools can afford to pay the players.
Problem b) The players will flock to the schools than CAN pay them.
Problem c) The schools with the most money will still find a way to sneak a little more money to their players and getting an unfair advantage.
Problem d) (some stuff I haven't even thought of yet)
Problem e) NCAA officials have their heads so far up their back sides they look pregnant.

[flyers]

08:46 AM on 08/01/2011

Any successful College Coach has committed 'some' crime to get good players to his team. There is so much corruption in College Sports, I stopped watching years ago, because its a total joke these days. Atleast with pro sports, every team is accountable. You know the Yankees can outspend every team, so you can take that in consideration when watching it. With College Sports, you don't know what players are getting gifts, getting paid under the table, etc, and guys like Coach K are just as guilty as guys like Jim Tressel. The difference is Jim Tressel got caught.

[Gerald Pardue]

07:38 AM on 08/01/2011

Why are you dealing in situation ethics? The rules are too complicated? The simplest rule on the books are these are the times you can contact the prospects and these are the times you cannot. There is no ambiguity, it is simple black and white.

[Beaucat]

05:22 AM on 08/01/2011

There's also a good chance that the kid is simply lying. I'm no fan of Duke or Coach K, but he's never come close to an NCAA violation before, and for this kind of violation to be the first time he's broken the rules just does not seem likely.I'd withhold judgment until more is known about this kid and whether he has any kind of relationship with K. Maybe he wanted to go to Duke and K didn't want him, and this is the kid's way of getting back at K.

[shankapotomus]

10:52 PM on 07/31/2011

I hate Duke but i would think coach K was smarter than that.

[Tea for me]

11:49 PM on 07/31/2011

LMAO..was going to post the exact comment..then, looked at the poster and really had to laugh.
We have the opposites views on every thread we've been on....but here we can agree.

Ummm, except I can't stand his little, whiny smarmy face.....and it affects me the same as Cantor's:>)

[Tea for me]

11:52 PM on 07/31/2011

Oops."we...opposite views.."

[LuLou Murder]

10:24 PM on 07/31/2011

Why would he do that? Top players from all over look at Duke as their first choice for their one year of college basketball.

[Bados]

10:33 AM on 08/02/2011

That would be Kentucky if were talking one and done. Coach K would rather not have a player if he's only looking to play one year. Of course he's learning that this way of thinking is coming to a close if you want to continue to have an elite program so he's now gotta mix it up like everyone else.

[jeffp26]

10:16 PM on 07/31/2011

Oh, say it ain't so.

[rmutt1917]

08:42 PM on 07/31/2011

Coach K League of Servility...assemble!

[amorosotom]

07:37 PM on 07/31/2011

I'm not a fan of the rat-faced K. I hate the way he works the refs and gets the calls. But this is kind of petty, don't you think? Besides, how can the university investigate a man that is bigger than the university. If Coach K wanted to fire the president of Duke, he just has to say the word and puff the president is gone. Such is his power.

[CatfishJohn]

07:28 PM on 07/31/2011

Coming from a UK hoops fanatic who once considered a personal bounty on Christian Laettner and someone who is aware of Coach K's "other" side where he profanely berates the refs and undeniably gets friendly calls for 2 decades now,.... i say - So What?...These minor blemishes do not detract from a man who accepted the Duke contract without even stipualting a salary and has made this program a paragon of quality, ethical, winning basketball as well as a class personal act, and quality kids Conveying so much leadership and coaching potential and quality of character to those " in the know" about him, Coach K was hired after a 19 loss season at Army by a BigBoy Duke program in seeming free-fall after losing to UK in the title game a few years earlier. Subsequently, the past 3 decades have been Duke's Era, similar to the Eras of Smith, Wooden and Rupp.

[shankapotomus]

10:53 PM on 07/31/2011

Does that make it OK?

[CatfishJohn]

10:31 AM on 08/01/2011

Compared to the rampant cheating and chicanery int he AAU and college basketball flesh market, this is virtually nothing.