The bombshell report that implicates more than 20 college programs and 25 players, past and present, of violating NCAA amateurism rules, hits close to home.
It includes Brooklyn’s Isaiah Whitehead, a member of the Nets and the linchpin for Seton Hall’s 2016 Big East championship team.
The bank records of former NBA agent Andy Miller and his agency, ASM Sports, are being reviewed by the FBI as part of the investigation to corruption in the sport, and Yahoo Sports received documents from the raid of Miller’s office.
The report alleges that Whitehead, who signed with Miller’s agency shortly after going pro, received $26,136 during his freshman year at Seton Hall in 2014-15 as part of the ASM balance sheet titled “Loan to Players.” Another document listed Whitehead as being given $37,657 and stated he was “setting up a payment plan.” Whitehead, a McDonald’s All-American and the most high-profile recruit of the eight-year Kevin Willard era, switched agencies after the raid on Miller’s office, joining Roc Nation Sports.
Whitehead’s high school coach, Dwayne “Tiny” Morton, is also in the documents, allegedly receiving a $9,500 loan. Morton coached at Seton Hall for one season, Whitehead’s freshman year, before returning to Lincoln. He’s known Miller for years, as the agent represented Morton’s former player Sebastian Telfair. It was unclear when Morton received the loan.
“I have no comment,” Willard said when reached about the matter. “I can’t say anything.”
Whitehead declined comment at Nets practice and his mother, Ericka Rambert, didn’t respond to a message seeking comment.
“We are aware of the Yahoo! Sports report,” Seton Hall said in a statement. “We have taken steps proactively to reach out to the NCAA and the Big East conference, and while we have not been contacted by investigators, we will be conducting our own internal review.
When reached for comment Friday morning, Morton said he has yet to see the report, and wanted to read it before answering questions. He didn’t respond to follow-up messages. Morton’s son Trevonn is a manager on the Seton Hall team this year.
It brings into question the 2015-16 season, in which Whitehead led Seton Hall to 25 wins, the Big East crown, and an NCAA Tournament berth. He was the center of Willard’s blockbuster 2014 recruiting class, a group that includes current seniors Khadeen Carrington, Ismael Sanogo, Angel Delgado and Desi Rodriguez. Victories from Whitehead’s two seasons at the New Jersey school could be vacated, if he is ruled ineligible retroactively.
As for the Big East title, that is uncertain. It comes under the league’s jurisdiction, not the NCAA’s. For instance, while Louisville had regular season and NCAA Tournament wins vacated from 2012-13 for players that were later ruled ineligible, it’s 2013 Big East crown remains on the conference’s official ledger for now.
Whitehead’s recruitment initially centered around Syracuse and Louisville, before coming down to a local showdown between Seton Hall and St. John’s. Then Red Storm coach Steve Lavin was unwilling to hire Morton, the Lincoln coach said at the time, while Seton Hall was willing to make it a package deal. It also led to the addition of Rodriguez, who played for Morton at Lincoln. Willard hasn’t hid from the hiring strategy.
“I remember sitting there thinking, the most important thing right now, is having a guy who can help us get players,” Willard said in March of 2016, shortly after Seton Hall won the Big East crown. “I had to be creative in a way that could help us and be perfectly legal about it.”