Associated Press
COLLEGE PARK, Md. ó Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez will enter his name in the NBA draft. Because he has not hired an agent, he could return for his senior year with the Terrapins.
Maryland coach Gary Williams didn’t object to Vasquez’s desire to determine his standing in the eyes of the NBA.
“It’s a good opportunity for Greivis to test his marketability while still being a full-time student,” Williams said.
Vasquez will continue to attend classes in the spring semester. He has until June 15 to decide whether to withdraw his name from the draft.
“It’s a good time to do this,” Vasquez said. “This way I’ll get a taste of what I need to do to be successful and see where I am as a player. To play at the highest level eventually has always been a dream of mine.”
On Wednesday, Maryland announced that sophomore forward Braxton Dupree intends to transfer.
UCONN
HARTFORD, Conn. ó Connecticut freshman Ater Majok, whose name has come up in recruiting allegations against the school, declared for the NBA draft.
Majok, a 6-foot-10 forward, said he won’t hire an agent and intends to assess where he stands with the NBA and return to school.
Majok, a former refugee from Sudan, is not eligible to play at Connecticut until the end of the 2009 fall semester.
UConn head coach Jim Calhoun said that, in view of upcoming rule changes for underclassmen, “this is an opportunity for Ater to see where he currently fits into what I believe will be a future in professional basketball.”
Reports have linked Josh Nochimson, a former UConn student manager, to the appearance of Majok at a basketball tournament last year in Kentucky. Phone calls between Nochimson and UConn’s coaches are at the center of an NCAA investigation into possible recruiting violations.
FIU
MIAMI ó If FIU makes money on Isiah Thomas’ name, the Hall of Famer will cash in as well.
The former New York Knicks coach and president will earn $1.29 million in base salary and scheduled bonuses from FIU if he stays for five seasons, plus be eligible for incentives and any state-approved raises.
He also could reap plenty of additional money along the way, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
As a bonus, Thomas will receive nearly half of any gross revenues from ticket sales, commissions collected on food and beverage concessions and sponsorships ó excluding “proceeds from the existing U.S. Century Bank arena.” In all three cases, FIU will keep the first $1,000 collected, then split the rest with Thomas.
And if FIU was to sell its own radio or television broadcast rights package for men’s basketball, Thomas would receive nearly all that revenue.
He will not take a salary in his first season but is entitled to reimbursement for temporary housing costs as well as a $25,000 “total meal allowance” over that time.
Thomas’ base salary will range from $250,000 in the second year through $350,000 in the fifth year. If he completes five seasons, he’ll receive a $100,000 bonus.
LOUISVILLE
LOUISVILLE, Ky. ó The attorney for a woman under FBI investigation for an alleged extortion attempt against coach Rick Pitino says he’s never been involved with such an unusual case.
Thomas Clay said the circumstances surrounding the investigation into Karen Sypher is unprecedented in his 35 years of practicing law, and he’s not sure where it will go next.
“Things have taken a turn today that I did not anticipate,” Clay said. “At this point the future course of this saga is very uncertain.”
Clay would not specify what changed but said that he didn’t expect the FBI investigation to be completed by Friday.
TENNESSEE
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ó Tennessee guard J.P. Prince ad arthroscopic reconstructive surgery on his right shoulder. The rising senior will be held out of contact drills for three to four months.
KANSAS
OKLAHOMA CITY ó John Calipari’s move to Kentucky has cost him one of his prized recruits.
Oklahoma City high school star Xavier Henry announced that he would not follow Calipari after he left Memphis. Henry committed instead to play at Kansas.