Book Richardson convicted, says he has "no knowledge" of Sean Miller who pays players | Arizona Wildcats Basketball

Richardson, a 2009 AU assistant at his arrest in 2017, was questioned in front of the courthouse if Miller knew if the players were getting paid.

"You have to ask him that," Richardson told reporters. "He is not on trial, I was on trial."

Richardson then issued a statement by direct message to Star correspondent Adam Zagoria. It read, "I am not aware that Sean Miller is paying players or trying to pay them … I have not been sued, no one else. Again, I apologize to the University of Arizona, its President Robbins and the nice and wonderful people of Tucson. Thank you Tucson and all the Wildcats around the world!

Richardson, 46, agreed to a plea deal in January, agreeing to plead guilty to bribery of federal funds rather than prosecuting five charges in total. His charges ranged from 18 to 24 months, while one probation officer recommended three.

Former assistant coach of South Carolina and Oklahoma, Lamont Evans, will be sentenced Friday, while that of Auburn's former assistant, Chuck Person, is scheduled for more late this year.

In his decision, Ramos described corruption of federal funds as a "serious crime".

"It was not just breaking the rules of the NCAA," he said. "This was not an isolated act.This was not an isolated event.It's been going on for several months.At a point, it was Mr. Richardson insider (payment of) a bribe. "

"I think the crime was committed at the University of Arizona," Ramos said. "This has caused the disengagement of several university athletes" and "an additional survey (of the NCAA) that could have implications for the university".

Outside the courthouse, Richardson – dressed in a striped navy suit and a red tie and flanked by his wife – said his actions were a mistake.

"Just know who I am, and that's an error that occurred because it was a mistake; it was not a natural and natural conduct," said the native from New York. "And I think that my old players, I think of my family, will attest to it sincerely.And again, any student-athlete that I have hurt, any student-athlete that I have put in a bad way, I sincerely apologize and I will always be their coach, I will always be their uncle and for some, I will be their father.Unfortunately, this has happened and we hope to be able to draw something positive. "

Richardson, who earned $ 250,000 a year in Arizona staff, now teaches basketball skills to kids, said Mordock. He has not worked full time since the termination of the AU in January 2018.

"He will never work in basketball again," said Mordock. "He'll always have this spot with him."

"He was the most prominent coach but he was also the least paid coach of this conspiracy," Mordock said. "That's what led him to get involved in this situation …

"His story is really a torn story to riches."

Prosecutors said Richardson abused his coaching and mentoring role by agreeing to direct his players to Dawkins' company without their knowledge. During the last phone tapping in the last federal trial, Richardson openly discussed with Dawkins former AU targets, Jahvon Quinerly and Naz Reid, as well as three players – Alkins, Ayton and Allonzo Trier – who were the hard core of the 2017-18 Pac-12 champion team in Arizona. The AU said in its victim statement that, based on "all the information we currently know", Richardson has not paid any player or rookie. Richardson told Villanova after Quinerly signed up, said Mordock.

"The student athletes did not know that Mr. Richardson was taking money for this purpose," Prosecutor Noah Solowiejczyk said Thursday. "He was taking secret bribes … His job was to watch them, he was doing the opposite."