OT: Is Maurice Harkless Eligible To Be A Johnnie?

[bearcat jeff]

St. John’s Hicks Gave Statement to NCAA
By Adam Zagoria on May 26, 2011, 9:14PM

Moe Hicks, the Director of Basketball Operations at St. John’s, gave a written statement Wednesday to the NCAA regarding his past involvement with incoming St. John’s player Maurice Harkless, according to a source with direct knowledge.

“He had to give a statement yesterday,” the source said.

St. John’s declined comment, other than to confirm they are working with the NCAA on the matter.

As first reported Wednesday night by ZAGSBLOG, St. John’s is working with the NCAA to decide whether the 6-foot-8 Harkless, the jewel of Steve Lavin’s nine-man recruiting class, will be eligible to play at St. John’s next season.

At issue is whether Hicks, the former program director with the New York Gauchos AAU program, is considered by the NCAA an “individual associated with a prospect,” or IAWP as it relates to Harkless.

Harkless played two events with the Gauchos in the spring of 2010, but Hicks did not coach the team.

St. John’s, therefore, is arguing Hicks is not an IAWP as it relates to Harkless.

According to NCAA Bylaw 11:4:2, ”If an institution hires an IAWP [individual associated with a prospect] for a noncoaching staff position within two years on either side of enrollment, involved S/A will be permanently ineligible for competition at offending institution.”

“This rule negatively affects everyone involved,” the source said. “First and foremost, this rule negatively affects Maurice Harkless who made a decision where he wants to go to college and that decision can be in jeopardy by a rule that’s totally out of control.

“Secondly, it negatively effects a young coach [Hicks] who’s probably done more over his high school coaching career to help young people and develop talent than half of the full-time coaches in the Big East. He should be a full-time coach anyway and they wouldn’t have this problem.”


http://www.zagsblog.com/2011/05/26/st-johns-hicks-gave-statement-to-ncaa/#more-53000

 

[david aka the TYZ]

According to NCAA Bylaw 11:4:2, ”If an institution hires an IAWP [individual associated with a prospect] for a noncoaching staff position within two years on either side of enrollment, involved S/A will be permanently ineligible for competition at offending institution.”

Seems odd that its OK to have a coach with prior involvement with a kid, but not somebody in his position. Kids don't choose to go to schools because of who is the head of basketball operations. I just don't get the logic...I guess that seems perfect for the NCAA to have a rule like this. I'm guessing its a rule to prevent universities from hiring a kids family members or something into bogus positions, but I fail to see how this would've given St. John's an unfair advantage.

 

[Lobot]

This same guy is also keeping Momo Jones from transferring to SJU for the same reasons.

 

[anbuc88]

This same guy is also keeping Momo Jones from transferring to SJU for the same reasons.

Also the same guy that prevented Jermaine Sanders from going to SJU. The rule from a practical standpoint makes sense, as it prevents schools from hiring 'handlers', whether family members or AAU coaches, to non-coaching positions in order to secure a commitment. But, there are so many other ways around it that I doubt it makes much of a difference. If the player is a top 5 program changing recruit, the AAU or high school coach is often hired to a coaching position, just as Delonte Hill was by Huggins and KSU to get Michael Beasley to go there. There is an excellent article on ESPN.com by Mike Fish about the Indiana Elite AAU program and the recruits from that team that have committed to IU. Tom Crean hired Drew Adams, the son of the Indian Elite AAU coach, to the position of director of operation/video coordinator 1 month before this rule went into place and 8 players with ties to this program have since commited to IU. Crean currently has the #1 recruiting class for 2012. Drew Adams has recently left IU to go to Steve Alford and New Mexico, amid NCAA scrutiny, and not surprisingly UNM has recieved a commitment from an Indiana Elite player. A number of these players are from African countries, and brought over by the Indiana Elite coach, Mark Adams, through a sister ogranization called A-HOPE. They likely feels an idebtedness to him and are steered to certain program that have close ties with the Adams family, which all invoved deny, of course. Bruce Pearl and UT benefited from getting Emmanuel Negedu of Indiana Elite and A-HOPE to go there, as Drew Adams got his start at UT. After his heart condition, he couldn't go to his first choice, IU, as Drew Adams was a member of the IU non-coaching staff. Where did he end up? New Mexico and Steve Alford, of course. Something smells fishy at IU, but Crean of course says all these commitments are due to the hard work of his staff. Uh, OK. Crean also has the Brooklyn Bridge for sale on Craigslist, if anyone is interested.

 

[Bearcat_NTS]

It is really sad how all this stuff goes on...every major conference program is involved in some sort of loophole in the rules that have allowed them to get top recruits...you are seeing it more and more these days when top prospects are committing to some schools that leave you scratching your head (ie Michael Chandler to UCF..many more just off the top of my head). In the old days only the big programs like UCLA really cheated to get all their players and subsquent championships. The reason why "parody" has arisen in college bball is everyone is doing their fair share of cheating.

 

[bearcat jeff]

Also the same guy that prevented Jermaine Sanders from going to SJU. The rule from a practical standpoint makes sense, as it prevents schools from hiring 'handlers', whether family members or AAU coaches, to non-coaching positions in order to secure a commitment. But, there are so many other ways around it that I doubt it makes much of a difference. If the player is a top 5 program changing recruit, the AAU or high school coach is often hired to a coaching position, just as Delonte Hill was by Huggins and KSU to get Michael Beasley to go there. There is an excellent article on ESPN.com by Mike Fish about the Indiana Elite AAU program and the recruits from that team that have committed to IU. Tom Crean hired Drew Adams, the son of the Indian Elite AAU coach, to the position of director of operation/video coordinator 1 month before this rule went into place and 8 players with ties to this program have since commited to IU. Crean currently has the #1 recruiting class for 2012. Drew Adams has recently left IU to go to Steve Alford and New Mexico, amid NCAA scrutiny, and not surprisingly UNM has recieved a commitment from an Indiana Elite player. A number of these players are from African countries, and brought over by the Indiana Elite coach, Mark Adams, through a sister ogranization called A-HOPE. They likely feels an idebtedness to him and are steered to certain program that have close ties with the Adams family, which all invoved deny, of course. Bruce Pearl and UT benefited from getting Emmanuel Negedu of Indiana Elite and A-HOPE to go there, as Drew Adams got his start at UT. After his heart condition, he couldn't go to his first choice, IU, as Drew Adams was a member of the IU non-coaching staff. Where did he end up? New Mexico and Steve Alford, of course. Something smells fishy at IU, but Crean of course says all these commitments are due to the hard work of his staff. Uh, OK. Crean also has the Brooklyn Bridge for sale on Craigslist, if anyone is interested.

Yes, obsure rule, and to be honest I understand the spirit of it, but it hurts the kid. There has to be a better way to do it then this way. That said, I'm glad Mr. Sanders is a Bearcat.

 

[JasonS]

I like the rule. It keeps the shady world of college basketball recruiting a little less shady. Any rule you put in place is going to hurt a couple kids who did things the right way but the rule as a whole will benefit programs that do things the right way.