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As the college hoops corruption trial continues, more and more critical information is coming out regarding the massive corruption across college basketball.
This time, it’s Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks.
TJ Gassnola, a former Adidas consultant, testified in federal court today that Bill Self and other Kansas coaches were never aware of any payments from Adidas to recruits to come to Kansas.
However, text messages between Gassnola, Self, and former Adidas executive Jim Gatto, suggest that the Kansas head coach may have been aware of Adidas’ help in the recruitment of Silvio De Sousa.
TJ Gassnola just testified in court that former Adidas exec Jim Gatto told him he got a call from Bill Self thanking him after Silvio de Sousa committed to Kansas.
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) October 15, 2018
‘Yes,’ Gassnola said.
Gassnola testified he never talked payments to De Sousa’s guardian w/ Self or K Townsend
Gassnola also testified last week that he paid $90,000 to former Kansas player Billy Preston’s mother, and $20,000 to De Sousa’s guardian.
Days before De Sousa’s commitment to Kansas, Gassnola was in constant contact with Self and De Sousa’s guardian.
About a month later, Kansas and Adidas agreed to a massive 12-year, $191 million contract extension. Self then texted Gassnola saying, “I’m happy with Adidas. Just got to get a couple real guys (via ESPN).”
The two continued their conversation discussing how getting wins and lottery picks help programs with recruits, and help Adidas get more kids to sign with the shoe company.
Self responded: “That’s how [it] works. At UNC and Duke.” Gassnola replied at Kentucky as well.
Gassnola went on to say he had never let Self down, except for “Dyondre”, referring to DeAndre Ayton, former Arizona Wildcats center and first-round pick in this year’s NBA Draft.
Billy Preston was also mentioned a lot during the trial today. Last season, Preston was allegedly involved in a one-car accident. He ended up never playing for Kansas due to eligibility concerns, and he entered this year’s NBA Draft. He wasn’t selected. The whole thing was extremely mysterious at the time.
Now it’s starting to make more sense. The government introduced text messages between Preston and his mother, in which she tells her son to deny any knowledge about the purchase of the car he wrecked while at Kansas.
“You don’t know,” she continued. “[I don’t care] what they say to you ... YOU DON’T KNOW.”
It looks like the case is finally beginning to wrap up. The judge reportedly told the jury Monday morning that it could begin its deliberations as early as Thursday.