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SALT LAKE CITY — A new report released Friday links former Utah star Kyle Kuzma to an FBI investigation into the NCAA for improper benefits to student-athletes.
The report, which was published by Yahoo Sports, says Kuzma may have received at least $6,500 and up to $16,000 while enrolled in school, according to the documents provided by Yahoo. One document, a balance sheet for sports agency ASM Sports, lists a loan to Kuzma for $6,500 and $9,500 in December 2015. Another document shows a loan for the amount of $12,000 going to Kuzma, but with “not signed” and “collecting back July/August” as part of the expense report.
Whether Kuzma accepted the money, however, is still unknown. The documents, though, don’t necessarily implicate the University of Utah, as the payment would have come from a sports agency with or without the knowledge of university officials. Kuzma signed with sports agency Priority Sports following his departure from Utah.
“This situation came to my attention this morning and I have absolutely no knowledge about it," Utah head coach Larry Krystkowiak said in a statement. "At this point, these are allegations. I know we run a clean program and my complete focus will be getting our squad ready for our game against USC.”
When the FBI investigation was first announced on Sept. 26, 2017, Krystkowiak told media a handler for Kuzma asked the school for money to sign the Flint, Michigan, native. Krystkowiak said the university refused the payment, but that he was aware of underground efforts to sway recruits.
Krystkowiak spoke out about the cheating in college basketball, saying Utah has never been a part of improper recruiting tactics and never will. He added that he was “sleeping well at night” because his team has not been involved in cheating.
Utah Athletic Director Chris Hill said in a statement that "unethical agents have been an issue in college athletics — particularly men's basketball and football — for many years despite repeated educational efforts by the schools.
"Personally, I welcome the scrutiny on the sport of men's basketball because the behavior of some agents, along with reports of other illegal recruiting activities, is hurting the sport," Hill added. "Coach Krystkowiak has a great deal of integrity and runs a clean program, but this situation shows there are areas outside a coach's control that need to be fixed."
The report by Yahoo shows several high school and college athletes receiving payments from ASM Sports in an “underground recruiting operation,” including a $10,000 loan to No. 1 draft pick in the 2017 NBA draft Markelle Fultz.
The documents and bank records, which were obtained in discovery by the FBI, also list current players in the NCAA, including USC’s Bennie Boatwright and Chimezie Metu, who received at least $2,000 each. USC will play Utah on Saturday, but it’s unknown if the latest report will limit Metu from playing Saturday. Boatwright is already out after sustaining a season-ending injury last week.
USC says Chimezie Metu’s status for tomorrow’s game at Utah is undetermined. Bennie Boatwright is already out for the season with a knee injury.
— Joey Kaufman (@joeyrkaufman) February 23, 2018
Former USC assistant coach Tony Bland was charged following the initial announcement of the open investigation into the NCAA for allegedly receiving $13,000 in bribes and facilitating payments to two USC players. Bland was one of several coaches implicated in bribing high school athletes to sign with the university. USC later fired Bland on Jan. 25 after previously putting him on administrative leave.
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