Former PC Recruit & Assistant Subjects of NCAA Investigation
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Nerlens Noel considered being a Providence Friar before heading to Lexington, Kentucky to play for John Calipari and the Wildcats. Now the 6’-10” big man is the subject of an NCAA investigation.
According to a report by Sports Illustrated, NCAA enforcement officials are looking into how Noel financed his unofficial recruiting trips to Louisville and Kentucky. Schools are not allowed to pay for unofficial visits and Noel flew to Louisville and Kentucky. The NCAA wants to know who paid for those trips.
Investogators traveled to the Tilton School in New Hampshire to meet with school officials. Apparently, Chris Driscoll was the focus of the conversations.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTDriscoll is a former Providence College assistant who is considered to be a close associate of Noel. He was the subject of a scathing article in the New York Times back in March. Noel’s coach at the Tilton School in New Hampshire is Marcus O’Neil and he told the Times that Driscoll once said to him, “Nerlens is my last chance. I need to score, and I need to score big.”
O’Neil also told the Times that Driscoll told him, “you’re either with me or against me on this.”
In that same article, BABC head Leo Papile ripped Driscoll saying, “he’s a great disappointment to me. I thought he had wanted to be a coach, but it appears that his primary object was to be a handler. He’s not a teacher, he’s not a coach. Bluntly, you’re dealing with the worst guy I’ve ever known in this game.”
Some believe that Ed Cooley and PC’s decision to dump Driscoll may have ultimately cost them a legitimate shot at landing Noel. Who knows if that truly is the case?
For now, the NCAA wants answers regarding Noel’s recruitment which could impact whether or not he suits up for Kentucky this fall.
