Harrick’s Role an Issue in Probe

Coach Jim Harrick’s failure to report the sale of a car registered in his name to the sister of his top basketball recruit will be an issue in the Pacific-10 Conference investigation that began Wednesday.

According to NCAA procedures, a person in Harrick’s position is mandated to report any possible violations. If the sale of the car by his son is found to have been a violation, then for purposes of establishing penalties, the investigation will focus on his failure to report.

UCLA officials did not learn of the situation until Monday.

Harrick’s son Glenn, who said he sold a 1991 Chevrolet Blazer to Lisa Hodoh, the sister of recruit Baron Davis, two days after his Sept. 18 oral commitment to UCLA, said Tuesday that he informed his father of the sale a few days later.

A source close to Harrick said that the most serious mistake made in this incident was Harrick’s lack of an aggressive response after hearing that his son had sold the car to Davis’ sister.

According to the source, Harrick was between recruiting trips at the time of his conversation with Glenn, and left on a trip a day or two afterward. Because of the hectic nature of his schedule, Harrick did not report the situation.

Athletic Director Peter T. Dalis has said that Harrick “knew at some point. He was gone part of the period.”

Glenn Harrick said that when he told his father he had sold the car--which was registered in Jim Harrick’s name--his father had a strong response: “He was like, ‘Oh, my God, I can’t believe you could do that.’ ”

Asked if his father knew at that time that the transaction could be a violation, Glenn Harrick said: “I don’t remember the conversation like that. I don’t know.”

A UCLA spokesman said that David Price, Pac-10 associate commissioner, interviewed Glenn Harrick, a production assistant at Fox Sports News, Wednesday as part of a joint investigation with the school.

Jim Harrick, who is being instructed by the school not to speak to the media, did not attend a basketball kickoff luncheon at the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Wednesday. Assistant coach Steve Lavin spoke at the luncheon in his place.

A former college athletic official, who wished to remain anonymous, said Wednesday, “The NCAA is set up where members are supposed to self-report. You’re going to get punished even when you self-report, but the risk you run if you don’t self-report is a harsher punishment.”

The Pac-10 investigation may not rule that Glenn Harrick’s sale of the Blazer to Hodoh is a rules’ violation if the car was made available for sale to the general public, if she paid a fair price for the car and if it was not an inducement.

The matter is turned over to the conference’s Compliance and Enforcement Committee if the Pac-10 and the university agree a violation has taken place. That committee would decide on sanctions before a final review by the NCAA, Price said Tuesday. If there is a disagreement between school and conference, the issue is brought before a hearing of the same committee.

If a violation is found, Davis would immediately be declared ineligible to play for UCLA. That would be pending a hearing for restoration if one is requested, Price said.

Price said he had no schedule for when the investigation might conclude.