ESPN has issued a pair of corrections regarding the date that Arizona Wildcats men's basketball coach Sean Miller allegedly discussed a $100,000 payment to prized recruit and UA star freshman Deandre Ayton.
On Friday, ESPN's Mark Schlabach reported FBI wiretaps revealed Miller discussing a payment to Ayton with Christian Dawkins, a runner for sports agent Andy Miller. ESPN later reported on SportsCenter that the call took place in 2017.
On Sunday, ESPN issued a correction, stating that the call took place in the spring of 2016. Another correction soon followed, with ESPN simply reporting that "the call in question was made in 2016" without noting when in 2016 the call was made.
The corrections are the first in the last two months posted on ESPN's Corrections page, and the first of the 2018 calendar year.
Miller did not coach in Arizona's game at Oregon on Saturday night, but Ayton was allowed to play. In a statement Sunday, the attorney conducting UA's internal investigation in an ongoing FBI probe said claims against Ayton are "false and unfounded," and he should remain eligible to play for UA.
Miller's future with the Wildcats remains unknown. On Saturday, the Arizona Board of Regents held an emergency session to discuss the UA men's basketball program.
Miller has typically held a weekly press conference with local media on Mondays throughout the 2017-18 season. As of Monday afternoon, a press conference for the week of Feb. 26 had yet to be announced.
On Saturday, ESPN play-by-play man Steve Quis reported on ESPNU that Miller had been fired as UA's head coach. ESPN retracted that report minutes later.
Psych! ESPN broadcasters take it back... Sean Miller has NOT been fired from UA. pic.twitter.com/vHpj0TKQft
— Jason Snavely (@JasonSnavely) February 25, 2018
