A report from Yahoo Sports states that documents and bank records in the FBI investigation into violations of the NCAA’s amateurism rules for numerous programs show former NC State men’s basketball player Dennis Smith Jr. received money from a former NBA agent.
The report shows expenses from former NBA agent Andy Miller, his associate Chris Dawkins and agency ASM Sports. According to the various documents, Smith Jr., who spent the 2016-17 season with NC State before being drafted ninth overall by the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, received $43,500 and an additional $73,500 in loans as part of another document for ASM agent Stephen Pina, with options to get that money back when Smith did not sign with ASM.
NC State Athletics Director Debbie Yow released a statement saying that NC State was unaware of any money Smith Jr. may have received, and disassociated with Miller in 2012.
“We learned of the report this morning and it is the first we’ve heard about this information,” Yow said in an official statement from NC State athletics. “The report involves an agent NC State disassociated with in 2012 (see attached letter). Of course, we will fully cooperate with any investigations or inquiries.”
Athletics also released the 2012 letter that disassociated the University from Miller.
It’s unclear, what, if any, penalties could be levied against NC State based on this information. Former NC State head coach Mark Gottfried was dismissed following the conclusion of last season, and even if anyone at NC State knew of the payments made to Smith Jr., it’s entirely possible they are no longer with the program.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
UPDATE: Current NC State head coach Kevin Keatts declined to comment on the situation, and referred back to Yow’s statement when asked.
UPDATED on Feb. 25: According to a picture of an email correspondence between Dawkins and Miller added to the Yahoo Sports report, Dawkins was in contact with Gottfried and former NC State assistants Butch Pierre and Orlando Early.
The email was sent on Aug. 29, 2016, when all three coaches were still with NC State.
“On Butch Pierre he never called me back but Gottfried and Orlando Early both called me over the weekend on separate matters,” Dawkins wrote in the email.
It is unclear what the subject of the conversations were, but the date of the message was well after Smith had committed to play for the Wolfpack.
