Recordings Played At Trial Claim University Of Arizona Basketball Coach Sean Miller Paid Players
Federal prosecutors played wiretap recordings mentioning University of Arizona coach Sean Miller before it rested its case Wednesday in the corruption trial over college basketball recruiting.
Several recordings are of tapped phone calls between former Miller assistant Emanuel “Book” Richardson and Christian Dawkins, a would-be agent.
According to Yahoo Sports, Richardson told Dawkins that Miller had paid, or would pay, $10,000 a month to Deandre Ayton. Ayton played at UA and is now on the Phoenix Suns.
Richardson and Dawkins also talked about Miller having a deal with Rawle Alkins, who left UA last year to play professionally.
On Thursday, the University of Arizona sent a statement saying it "takes the information presented in court very seriously and remains committed to the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct which includes competing within the rules of the NCAA and the PAC-12 Conference. We will continue to cooperate fully with the NCAA and with other ongoing investigations into this matter in the best interest of the University and the men’s basketball program."
Richardson has already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery.
Dawkins, one of the defendants in the trial, has pleaded not guilty to bribing coaches. He testified he took the money the FBI gave him in the sting, but never gave it to coaches. Instead, he said he used it to start his own agency.
