Thursday, February 24, 2000

Johnson serves suspension

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UC player sits out one game for NCAA violation

BY MIKE DECOURCY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

DerMarr Johnson sat on the bench in street clothes. (Craig Ruttle photo) | ZOOM |

        University of Cincinnati Athletic Director Bob Goin was both disappointed and relieved when freshman basketball player DerMarr Johnson was suspended one game by the NCAA for a violation of its amateurism rules.

        Johnson, a 6-foot-9 shooting guard who is the No.3 scorer for the Bearcats, did not play Wednesday night against Southern Mississippi at the Shoemaker Center. He can return to the lineup when Louisville visits Sunday.

        The NCAA declared Johnson violated its amateurism statutes when a portion of his tuition to Maine Central Institute for the 1998-99 academic year was paid by Curtis Malone, his coach with the Washington-based Team Assault basketball club.

        Johnson will be asked to re pay a portion of the $7,500 Malone paid to MCI on his behalf; the amount will be negotiated during the next 30 days.

        Johnson met Malone when he was in ninth grade and lived with him for three years before he enrolled at MCI. When they met, Johnson was not participating on the basketball team at Bladensburg High in Maryland, but Goin said the NCAA ruled their relationship had an athletic basis because of Malone's status as a summer coach.

        Goin was worried the NCAA would punish Johnson for a situation that developed before he became an NCAA athlete.

        “I am extremely disappointed in the NCAA's decision in this matter,” Goin said. “I would, myself, declare him OK, but their interpretation is different than mine. DerMarr has been tremendously cooperative. He's a fantastic young man. It hurts me to have to sit across and see him in street clothes.”

        UC considered itself fortunate the punishment was not more severe, given the penalties applied to freshman players this season at Oklahoma State and Michigan.

        Andre Williams, a forward at Oklahoma State, was initially suspended the entire season for having his tuition to MCI paid by the sponsor of his club team. He also was ordered to repay roughly $20,000. That penalty later was reduced to six games and a restitution payment of $6,500.

        Guard Jamal Crawford of Michigan was suspended six games and ordered to repay $15,000 to a businessman with whom he lived while attending Rainier Beach High in Seattle.

        In the past, the NCAA generally declined to issue punishment in cases where there was a “pre-existing relationship” between a nonrelated adult and a student-athlete. However, the organization recently began to interpret any relationship that begins after the student reaches his freshman year in high school as athletically based.

        “I can't speak for what their motivation is,” Goin said of the NCAA. “There is talk about the issue of AAU coaches and the role they play in the development of basketball players.

        “It's something the NCAA needs to evaluate, as to whether it can impose rules on student-athletes for things that happen before they become student-athletes.”

        The NCAA notified UC of its interest in the case on Feb.11 and requested permission to review Johnson's educational records. Investigators interviewed Johnson in Cincinnati three days later. An NCAA official spoke with Malone by telephone Monday.

        UC declared Johnson ineligible Tuesday and immediately petitioned the NCAA for his reinstatement. The NCAA ruled Wednesday there would be a one-game suspension.

        The UC administration was aware of the relationship between Johnson and Malone and did not perceive anything improper. In fact, the athletic department received clearance from the NCAA for Malone to transport Johnson to Cincinnati and stay with him in a hotel for several days just before he enrolled for classes.

        “The parent gave me permission to help their kid,” Malone said. “He wasn't a player like he is now.”

        Malone said that when Johnson made the decision to go to MCI, “We thought he would go for free.” Johnson received partial aid to cover the $22,000 tuition, but after he enrolled in the fall of 1998, Malone was informed $5,000 was needed immediately to cover a portion of the $7,500 remaining on his bill. The rest had to be paid before he could graduate.

        Max Good, the former MCI coach who is now an assistant at UNLV, said the school did not want to make a policy of offering full athletic scholarships, as many prep schools do. Good said he preferred that, “Because as hard as I was on them, it would have been easy for them to leave if there wasn't an investment. The kids earned everything they got.”

        Malone said he did not expect this situation to have an impact on Johnson's decision about whether to play his sophomore season or enter the NBA draft.

        “I don't think it should make a difference,” Malone said. “He's just looking forward to Sunday.”

       

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