Missouri Basketball Used Illegal Recruiter in Detroit, Report Says

The NCAA alleges that the University of Missouri basketball program used an illegal recruiter in the Detroit area, according to a published report.

Citing an anonymous source familiar with the investigation, the Kansas City Star reported in today’s editions that Missouri will have to respond to the allegation that Vic Adams acted as an illegal representative of the school.

The Star’s report came one day after the school acknowledged that it had received an official letter of inquiry stating a number of charges against the program.

Missouri must formulate a response to all charges and present that response to the NCAA Committee on Infractions, probably in August. The committee then determines whether penalties are warranted.

In the past, the NCAA has been harsh when it has found that a recruiting action gave a school a “competitive advantage.” The Missouri roster has been full of Detroit-area players in recent years, including Nathan Buntin, Doug Smith, Lee Coward, John McIntyre and Lynn Hardy, all of whom have been starters.

Missouri Athletic Director Dick Tamburo said Thursday he was relieved to finally receive the letter.

“I was pleased to get it just from the standpoint of getting the response prepared for it and getting our program moving forward. We’re in the process of evaluating it right now,” he said.

The university scheduled a news conference for Monday afternoon to distribute the letter.

The basketball program has been under investigation since February, 1989, the month when Coach Norm Stewart collapsed on the team plane and later underwent cancer surgery.

Stewart recovered from his cancer surgery and led Missouri to a Big Eight championship this year. Missouri lost in the first-round of the NCAA tournament to Northern Iowa.

The NCAA investigation focused on recruiting violations, including assistant coach Bob Sundvold buying airline tickets for recruits.

Sundvold was suspended in February, 1989.