Kansas Basketball Program Investigated

The University of Kansas men’s basketball program is under investigation by the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. for 15 alleged recruiting irregularities, Athletic Director Bob Frederick announced Monday.

The school was notified June 20 of the investigation into possible violations that occurred between between June of 1986 and April of 1987. However, most of the alleged violations stem from the summer of 1986.

The university issued a six-page release detailing the alleged violations by university representatives and staff members. The release included reactions from five current or former school officials, including former coach Larry Brown, who resigned to coach the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Assn. on June 13, about two months after the Jayhawks won the NCAA title.

Frederick said that the university considers the allegations explainable and had been cooperating with the NCAA for about a year. He said was stunned when the NCAA notified the university last month that an official inquiry was under way.

The alleged violations include buying plane tickets, meals, lodging, shoes and clothing for prospective recruits; lending money that was not repaid to the family of a prospective recruit so his family could pay off a utility bill; lending money to prospective players; having representatives meet with prospective athletes off-campus at restaurants and airports on at least 10 occasions; paying a prospective athlete for work not actually performed; improperly providing local transportation to prospective recruits, and entertaining a prospective athlete at a site more than 30 miles from campus.

One of the allegations indicates that the university knew of problems with the program but failed to take action.