Milwaukee Bucks point guard Malcolm Brogdon was one of several players named in a bombshell report about the FBI’s investigation into college basketball, but the former Virginia star’s mother is denying that she is guilty of what the documents allege.
Much of the FBI’s probe centers on expense reports and balance sheets from the ASM Sports agency, which appear to show that high school and collegiate players were given loans and took impermissible benefits. While Brodgon’s involvement isn’t in the same ballpark as the $73,500 loan Dallas Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr. received before and/or during his playing time at North Carolina State, Brodgon’s mother was mentioned in the documents.
According to one of ASM’s expense sheets, Brogdon’s mother, Jann Adams, had a meal with agent Christian Dawkins at a Ritz Carlton in Virginia on March 14, 2016 — three days before the Cavaliers faced Hampton in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The bill totaled $64.16, but Adams told Sam Blum of The Daily Progress on Friday that she remembers nothing about the alleged meeting.
“I don’t remember having dinner with any agent,” she said. “And I don’t honestly remember ever going to Ritz Carlton for dinner.”
Brogdon, who was named the NBA Rookie of the Year last year, played four years at Virginia and had his No. 15 jersey retired by the school this season. He’s one of many players who is having his eligibility now called into question because of alleged dealings with agents, but Adams said neither she nor her son are guilty of anything.
“I don’t believe that I’ve ever done anything like that,” Adams added. “I have been very, very careful to ensure that Malcolm, nor I, nor his brothers ever did anything that was in violation of NCAA rules in respect to Malcolm and the program.
“I’ve been adamant that we’ve never been involved in anything like taking money from any program, any basketball program, any agent, none of that happened with Malcolm.”
Adams said it’s possible that she had a “polite conversation” with an agent on the phone at some point, but she insisted she does not even recall who Dawkins is.
Several top programs and players — some of whom are still in college — were named in the Yahoo Sports report on Friday. It remains unclear if or when those programs will be sanctioned by the NCAA.
