In Brief : Publisher Won’t Print Valvano Book

A book that detailed alleged improprieties by coach Jim Valvano and the North Carolina State basketball program will not be printed because it did not meet the publisher’s standards.

Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, said today that the decision not to proceed with publication of “Personal Fouls” was made after a review of the manuscript with Peter Golenbock, the author.

Excerpts of the book, based on book jacket blurbs, were published in the News and Observer in Raleigh, N.C., last month.

The book, according to the jacket, alleged improper gifts to players and grade changes. It also alleged that a player deliberately lost State’s first-round game in the 1987 NCAA tournament to avoid detection for drug use.

Valvano has denied the allegations.

“Following completion of careful pre-publication review by the editors with the author, it was determined that the manuscript ‘Personal Fouls’ by Peter Golenbock did not meet the publishing standards established by Pocket Books,” the publisher said in a statement.

The university said Valvano would not comment on the publisher’s decision.