The top programs in all of college sports have been aided and abetted this way for decades by whomever has an interest, from boosters to shoe companies. Self knows he is in this top tier arena, so he, like all the other coaches, essentially has to play by the “rules” to stay a top tier program. Adidas is in stiff competition with Nike, and the understanding is that they will find a way to deliver guys to their flagship schools like KU, while KU (like everybody else) looks the other way. Why did Preston’s mom freak out about Self and KU finding out?? Because she knew that would violate how the game is played, and her son would never play a minute -which is what happened.
There may be other schools and coaches where a family member could care less about knowledge of payments because they know the key people (coaches and assistants) are in on the payments. Not KU. KU is is DEFINITELY NOT “supposed” to know. But they do know… that’s how the rules of the recruitment game are.
schools can offer jobs and a variety of other permissible perks as listed by many on this thread, to steer players their way, and they tacitly let the shoe cos do the dirty work of direct cash payments.
Unless there is direct EVIDENCE, NOT Just innuendo and reading into contextual meaning, that links our program to illegal payments, we will be fine, Self will be fine, and we should all go back to rooting for our team.
When I was about 6, my brother told me how babies were made, that there was no Easter bunny or Santa Claus, and that Peter Pan was just a kid on a wire. I grew up, and still enjoy the holidays as well as other things, including basketball.
