Short Commentary: UNLV Players React to Statement by Regent

Nevada Las Vegas basketball players, upset with a reported comment from Nevada Regent Carolyn Sparks, responded by taping photos of her to the back of their shorts during practice Tuesday.

Sparks allegedly said she was tired of UNLV Coach Jerry Tarkanian recruiting “ghetto kids.” Sparks denied using the term in a racial sense and said she was baited into the telephone conversation by Les Meilke, identified only as one of Tarkanian’s backers.

Forward Evric Gray used an expletive in referring to Sparks Tuesday.

“What it means is that all of them (regents) think that way,” Gray said. “She just happened to be the one to say it.”

Sparks said she told Meilke only that Tarkanian “has always talked about bringing in these ghetto kids and giving them a chance.”

Tarkanian uses the term “inner-city kids” and denied ever using the word “ghetto.”