Embattled coach rips 'defamatory' ESPN report, makes decision on his future
The craziest week in the history of the storied University of Arizona basketball team took another turn Thursday.
Embattled coach Sean Miller not only denied discussing a payment to a star recruit, he torched ESPN’s investigative journalism in the process.
To put the latest events in their proper context, we start back on Saturday, when the sports network reported the FBI had recorded a phone call between Miller and Christian Dawkins, an employee of ASM Sports agent Andy Miller (no relation), where the coach allegedly discussed a $100,000 payment to center Deandre Ayton, a potential top NBA Draft pick.
That report led to Sean Miller not being allowed to coach Saturday night’s game at Oregon.
Moreover, many in the sports world immediately called for Miller to lose his job, with ESPN’s Jay Bilas even saying the scandal was a “career-ender”.
.@JayBilas says he can't imagine Sean Miller coaching in college basketball again. pic.twitter.com/qgcexXAz3g
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) February 24, 2018
On Thursday, Miller fired back, angrily denying ESPN’s reporting, though he first apologized for the distraction to his team.
The coach said he was limited in what he could say, other than he never discussed paying Ayton — or any other player for that matter.
“I never have, and I never will,” Miller said. While Ayton has been cleared to continue playing, Miller complained that sloppy reporting has done irreparable damage.
“I also understand that there is an ongoing federal investigation, and because of this, I cannot do anything that might compromise the integrity of this investigation. However, on this point, I cannot remain silent in light of media reports that have impugned the reputation of me, the university, and sullied the name of a tremendous young man, Deandre Ayton,” he said.
However, ESPN is standing by its story.
Whatever Miller is selling, his school seems to be buying it.
After the news conference, school president Robert Robbins and athletic director Dave Heeke issued a joint statement saying Miller would be allowed to return to the Arizona bench.
“Earlier this week, we met with Coach Miller at length and asked him direct and pointed questions,” their statement read. “He was eager to speak with us and answered every question we asked. At this time we have no reason to believe that Coach Miller violated NCAA rules or any laws regarding the allegation reported in the media. Additionally, he has a record of compliance with NCAA rules, and he has been cooperative with this process.”
Earlier in the week, ESPN sports business reporter, Darren Rovell discovered a peculiar clause in Miller’s contract with Arizona.
JUST IN: Sean Miller’s contract, as written, somehow pays him more for getting fired with cause than without cause. So if Miller is fired with cause, Arizona will owe him approximately $5 million more ($10.3 million versus $5.15 million) than if they fired for no reason.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 24, 2018
A cynic might try to connect this fact with Thursday’s news conference, but as of the moment, there doesn’t seem to be a correlation.
It was a good day overall for the Wildcats, as the team’s second-leading scorer, Allonzo Trier, was also reinstated following a suspension for an illegal substance. Trier won his appeal to have a failed drug test ruled invalid.
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