Former Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola testified Thursday in federal court that he directed $15,000 to DeAndre Ayton's mother on behalf of the company.
Matt Norlander Jr. of CBS Sports tweeted the information. Several sports executives and basketball coaches are accused of taking part in a bribery ring involving top basketball athletes and shoe company money.
TJ Gassnola testified that he paid $15,000 to a family friend of Deandre Ayton that was to be given to Ayton’s mother. This was when Ayton was a junior in high school.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) October 11, 2018
Other players Gassnola mentioned included Dennis Smith Jr. (North Carolina State), Brian Bowen Jr. (Louisville), Billy Preston (Kansas) and Silvio De Sousa (Kansas).
In 2017, the FBI arrested then-UA assistant coach Book Richardson on bribery charges related to the investigation that ensnared Gatto, sports agents and other assistant coaches.
Earlier in the trial, a defense attorney said Arizona was prepared to pay the family of Nasir Little as much as $150,000 to play basketball at the school. Little later committed to North Carolina.
In February, ESPN reported that FBI wiretaps recorded UA coach Sean Miller discussing a $100,000 payment to an agent on behalf of DeAndre Ayton, who played one year at UA before becoming the top NBA Draft pick, now playing for the Phoenix Suns. An attorney who conducted the UA's internal investigation on the matter said the ESPN report was false.
In March, Miller denied ever having directed payment to a recruit or knowingly having violating NCAA rules.
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Former Adidas consultant says he paid Ayton's family
Father: Arizona offered Bowen $50K to play basketball at school
Defense attorney: Arizona basketball was prepared to offer six figures for recruit
