John Wall Didn’t Know About Allegations Against Memphis, Calipari
Words. Jason Jordan
Late Wednesday evening the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported that during the 2007-08 season, Memphis had been charged with major violations by the NCAA under former coach John Calipari, who left the Tigers in March to take the head coaching job at Kentucky.
The allegations include “knowing fraudulence or misconduct” on an SAT exam by a player on the 2007-08 team and providing $2,260 in free travel to road games for an associate of a player, the Commercial Appeal reported.
There is wide speculation that the player in question is Derrick Rose, who led Memphis to the national title game during his freshman season before being picked No. 1 overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 2008 NBA Draft.
Rose was the only player on the roster who competed only for that season.
No matter what comes of this these findings will undoubtedly cast a negative light on Kentucky’s stellar recruiting class for 2009, most notably it’s star – point guard John Wall.
The two situations are so similar – one-and-done point guards who are supposed to lead the team to the Final Four before being a top pick in the draft. Wall, who hails from Word of God Academy in Raleigh, N.C., took the SAT in early May. His advisor and AAU coach Brian Clifton told us a few months ago that Wall was less than 100 points from qualifying the first time he took it. In the meantime he’d been taking special prep courses.
The negative innuendos that are sure to come won’t be fair. We happen to know that Wall has put in work to make the qualifying score. We chatted with Wall late Wednesday night via text and he had no clue about the allegations. He asked us what the report said.
This isn’t Calipari’s first time being involved with NCAA violations. His 1995-96 Final Four team had to forfeit all 35 of its wins and vacate their banner and appearance when the NCAA found out that center Marcus Camby accepted money and gifts from two sports agents. It could be the same story for Memphis if the allegations are proven to be true – forfeiting their NCAA-record 38 victories and Final Four appearance.
The Commercial Appeal went on to say that Memphis received the notice of allegations Jan. 16 and is scheduled to appear before the NCAA Committee on Infractions June 6 in Indianapolis. Also, that the NCAA has requested Calipari’s presence at the hearing, although he is not named in the report.
It is really discouraging how these young men are used for the success of their coaches. The website is very informative and top notch. Keep up the good work.
Headlines “John Wall didn’t know about allegations against Memphis and Calipari”. There are no allegations against John Calipari. NONE. The statement is inciteful and not true. John Calipari IS NOT PART OF NCAA INVESTIGATION. Simple as that. The only allegations against Memphis basketball was that Rose’s brother did not repay for ALL TRIPS. That was it and not an INTENTIONAL CHARGE BUT OVERSIGHT BY SOME ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION OF THE ATHLETIC DEPT. It is hilarious how sensationialist journalism fluctuates so easily. MAN UP WEAKLINGS!
Exactly which NCAA violations has John Calipari been “involved” in? The answer is NONE. You are trying to beef up your story with false claims.