When it’s not agents paying college players, it’s coaches illegally recruiting them. And if there’s anything we’ve learned over the past year, it’s that when programs suddenly and improbably become successful (e.g. Tennessee basketball, North Carolina football), something fishy indeed is going on. Baylor went from being a disastrous program to reaching the Elite Eight in March. It should not surprise anyone that they’re now being investigated for improper recruitment, according to Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com.
The player at the center of the investigation is Hanner Perea, a junior from Colombia who transferred to LaLumiere High School in Indiana. Goodman says Baylor assistant coach Mark Morefield “sent dozens of texts to Perea’s AAU and high school coaches in July while they were coaching events, which is against NCAA rules.”
Now here’s the sweet part. Goodman got a hold of a text from Morefield to Perea’s high school coach essentially threatening deportation: “I guarantee u if he does [commit to another school] he will be in Colombia for the spring and summer and next year. Don’t forget it.”
That is one heck of a money shot right there. Baylor apparently is trying to take matters into its hands with a self-investigation, but I’m not sure that will take care of everything since most schools penalize themselves more lightly than the NCAA. That deportation text alone is worth a scholarship, I’m guessing. It will be interesting to see what plays out.
