SALT LAKE CITY – A Yahoo News report looking into corruption in college basketball claims a former University of Utah basketball player may have been paid thousands of dollars when he was a student.
The report focuses strictly on payments reportedly made by ASM Sports to players. It says Kyle Kuzma may have received between $65 hundred and $16 thousand. One balance sheet lists a loan to Kuzma in December of 2015. KSL.com Assistant News Director Josh Furlong says, “He was definitely in school at that time, but, it doesn’t mean that he actually took the money. There’s another document saying there was $12 thousand allocated to his name, but, then it said something about it not being signed.” Furlong adds, “He didn’t sign with that sports agency, so, it could be that he didn’t take anything, and that’s just what they were trying to buy him off with.”
University of Utah officials made statements saying they had no previous information about any possible payments. Coach Larry Krystkowiak issued the following statement:
“This situation came to my attention this morning and I have absolutely no knowledge about it. At this point, these are allegations. I know we run a clean program and my complete focus will be getting our squad ready for our game against USC.”
Athletics Director Chris Hill stated the following:
“We learned this information this morning just like everyone else. Unethical agents have been an issue in college athletics—particularly men’s basketball and football—for many years despite repeated educational efforts by the schools. Certainly this is a topic that our Pac-12 reform committee on NCAA men’s basketball is addressing. Personally, I welcome the scrutiny on the sport of men’s basketball because the behavior of some agents, along with reports of other illegal recruiting activities, is hurting the sport. Coach Krystkowiak has a great deal of integrity and runs a clean program, but this situation shows there are areas outside a coach’s control that need to be fixed.”
(Photo Credit: David Zalubowski, Associated Press)