Arizona Daily Star
In a phone call played during the college basketball corruption trial Monday, agent-runner Christian Dawkins told partner Munish Sood that UA coach Sean Miller “fronted” a deal to land a player believed to be Deandre Ayton.
The player initially was not named. CBS’ Matt Norlander and Yahoo’s Dan Wetzel later tweeted that the player was Ayton.
ESPN reported in February 2018 that Miller discussed with Dawkins paying Ayton $100,000 to play for the Wildcats, a report that Miller vehemently denied six days later. Miller’s statement included an assertion that had never paid a player or his family member or representative to attend Arizona, and that he never will.
Before Ayton played a game for Arizona, Richardson and the others were discussing his future representation. Richardson said in an August 2017 meeting, held at a Tucson restaurant, that Ayton’s mother was “loyal to someone else” when it came to picking an agent. (Ayton turned pro after one season at Arizona, signed with agent Nima Namakian and was taken No. 1 overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2018 draft).
Monday was the first day of the second week of the trial in U.S. District Court in New York, and Sood’s second day on the witness stand.
