Alabama basketball and Collin Sexton have an NCAA eligibility issue. Here is what we know and what we don’t know, and our best guess about the result.
Collin Sexton is a game-changer and Alabama basketball for too many years has been a program that needed its game changed. Take nothing away from John Petty, Herb Jones and other Tide players with probable NBA futures, Sexton’s superlative skill-set was (is) planned to be the Tide’s engine this season.
For six weeks, since the FBI probe into college basketball went public, Alabama basketball fans have agonized over whether the Sexton family was involved. Alabama basketball administrator, Kobie Baker lost his job because of the probe.
Though the initial FBI release did not mention player names, reading through the lengthy public documents it was clear Baker set up a meeting for an incoming Tide player’s father. An easy process of elimination revealed the meeting was with Collin Sexton’s father.
On Tuesday night ESPN published a shabbily written account implying the University of Alabama had this week learned about the Sexton family connection. I have no inside sources but just by carefully reading public documents, I knew about the meeting and the people who attended weeks ago. There is no doubt the University of Alabama was privy to the information before me.
Instead of jumping to conclusion on the basis of negligent reporting, we wish to clarify.
What we know
- College basketball recruiting is a dirty business. AAU coaches, shoe companies, unlicensed agents and naive and greedy family members tarnish the process. In some cases, individuals corrupt the process. The NCAA has been inept in cleaning up basketball recruiting.
- Unless more information is released by the FBI or the NCAA stumbles upon new information, the extent of the current Alabama basketball problem is one former administrator and one player.
- The administrator, Kobie Baker admitted to taking money for providing a service of connecting families of future NBA players with potential future financial advisors. Unlike other school officials from Auburn and half-dozen other schools, there is no claim Baker paid any player or family member of a player any money. Unlike Auburn’s Check Person and others, the FBI has not charged Kobie Baker with a crime.
- Baker orchestrated a meeting for certain known individuals to meet with Collin Sexton’s father. Unknown to Baker, some of those individuals, having been previously ensnared by the FBI, went to the meeting to aid the FBI.
What we don’t know
- We do not know if Collin Sexton attended the Baker arranged meeting.
- The ESPN story had one bit of new information about a different basketball connection that may have affected Sexton’s eligibility.
"Sources told ESPN that Sexton’s relationship with former AAU coach Christian Dawkins, who was arrested and named in a separate federal complaint related to the corruption probe, might also be an issue. Sources said Dawkins, from Saginaw, Michigan, was involved in Sexton’s recruitment.Sexton made official visits to three other Adidas-sponsored schools — Kansas, NC State and Oklahoma State — before signing with the Crimson Tide."
Note the ESPN story said “might also be an issue.” It did not say any source “knew” there was an issue with Dawkins that could affect Sexton’s NCAA eligibility.
We have no way of knowing if this is potentially a big problem for Collin Sexton or something minor enough it can be resolved by the NCAA and the University of Alabama. Every indication from the University is that it believes this latest issue will be resolved favorably by the NCAA.
Another subject is the actual question of eligibility. All the reports of Sexton’s ineligibility fail to explain by whom and when did he become ineligible. The University of Alabama has done a poor job of explaining this detail.
What we believe has and will happen
By necessity, we must backtrack. First a disclaimer, what we believe is only a guess. Like other fans, we can only review public information and try to make sense of the outcome.
- We don’t think the Sexton family took any money from anyone by way of Kobie Baker. Most of the money discovered in the FBI probe that went to players or family members of players was distributed to them to influence a college choice. Collin Sexton signed to play for the University of Alabama long before the Baker arranged meeting.
- We have read Sexton’s Dad, possibly through the advice of the Alabama Compliance department, reimbursed someone for the cost of his meal. If this is correct, it indicates no other financial benefit accrued to the Sexton family as a result of the Baker meeting.
- If Dawkins did something illegal or outside NCAA rules regarding Collin Sexton’s recruitment, why did Collin choose a Nike school instead of an Adidas school? All of the allegations against Dawkins from a related FBI probe are about Dawkins taking money from Adidas and using the money to steer players to Adidas-sponsored schools.
- We don’t know enough to predict how the Collin Sexton story will end. We do conclude the University of Alabama believes he will have his eligibility restored by the NCAA.
When such a positive development might occur is only known by the NCAA.
ICYMI: Our original story about the FBI probe into college basketball.
ICYMI: Our follow-up to the FBI story after learning of Kobie Baker’s involvement.
Is our opinion viewed through Crimson-colored glasses? Perhaps, so we must also admit knowing there is a chance Collin Sexton never plays in a regular season game for the University of Alabama.