Duion's Zion Williamson mentioned in the hoops fraud trial

NEW YORK – The transcript that was read Tuesday in Federal Court could be seen as an offer, or an introductory offer, or simply as an indication of how quickly the other side would blink – and they would not not.

Merl Code, consultant for Adidas and longtime figure in basketball, was on a line. Kurtis Townsend, former Kansas basketball assistant coach, was on the other side. The subject: the imminent recruitment of Zion Williamson, one of the top five candidates, who, like Code, is from South Carolina. That Code and Townsend did not know it, the FBI was recording it all.

"Hey," said Code, according to his lawyer, Mark Moore. "Between you and me, you know, he asked questions. You know?"

Who is he?" Zion Williamson's father, according to Moore's account.

"I know what he's asking for," continued Code. "He is asking for opportunities from a professional point of view, he is asking for money in his pocket and he is asking for housing for him and his family."

If this were to follow the basics that played out over the past two and a half weeks here as the underground economy of university athletics was stripped by a federal fraud lawsuit, it meant a job (lucrative with little or no of work), many six-digit minimum) and an apartment or house (without rent, of course). If you've seen Zion play, you'll know it's not a bad deal.

Which could explain why Townsend seemed unfazed.

"I just have to try to work and find a way, because if that's what it takes to keep him here for 10 months, we'll have to do it somehow," Townsend said.

So, what you have here is allegedly a Kansas assistant responding positively to an intermediary expressing the requirements of a potential candidate's father, each of which constitutes a flagrant violation of the NCAA.

Although this is not good for Kansas, it also raises a question: If KU was indeed willing to do it and Zion Williamson actually did not sign with KU but instead with Duke, what were the Blue Devils then? , or their interests (boosters, affiliate agents, Nike)?

And although the emergence of the Code-Townsend conversation should have thrilled Lawrence, the Duke factor may well be the card for the Jayhawks to free themselves from prison.

Does any one believe that the NCAA is really going to really investigate Duke? And not a superficial attempt, a swipe, we have not found anything-now-please-enjoy-tournament-tournament-NCAA-Zion-Williamson presented by all the commercials starring Mike Krzyzewski.

If you call Townsend after this phone call, he will take you to Zion Williamson and it will take you to what, exactly?

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If history is an indication, the NCAA does not want any part to discover, nothing to find – if there is anything – at Duke's. In their minds, this entire operation requires white hats and black hats and there is none more immaculate than Krzyzewski's.

However, common sense can not be so common that anyone, as coach K attempted to say on Monday, believes that what was revealed in federal court does not really show how recruitment works and that children simply choose a school because of the sunny autumn day aspect.

"It's a dramatic twist," Krzyzewski said on Monday about the details emerging from New York. "This is not what happens."

Less than 24 hours later, the blip exploded because that's what's happening.

Nobody suggests that Krzyzewski is depositing money bags. And no one says he's really that evil cheater or something. A guy as powerful as anyone can not even ask him. The code did not even happen to Bill Self; he was going with the assistant.

Coach K can be the best guy in the world. These are still college hoops, though.

To believe that nothing happens at Duke, is to believe that Williamson could not find anyone to satisfy his requirements, so he had chosen Duke, or that Duke was so fantastic that he was outweighing everything. money, cars, jobs and all the others. was ready to provide.

The story continues