ESPN reported that it obtained a federal recording of a June 2017 conversation in which Richardson told agents that Alkins needed one more class to become eligible at UA, and that an unidentified coach wanted $40,000 to put the class to his official transcript.
The coach “said, ‘Book, I need $40,000 to get this on his transcript. If he does not get this class, he’s gonna be a partial qualifier. He’s not gonna have 16 credits to graduate,’ ” Richardson said in the recording, according to ESPN.
“So long story short, I said OK. You need 40 grand for that class. He said, ‘Yes, Book, because it’s not just me doing it. I gotta take care of some people.’ I said, ‘(Expletive) you I’m not doing it.’ Tried to play poker and one week turned into a month, and I said, ‘Oh s—.'”
As a result of the violation, the NCAA said the involved player “competed while ineligible.” Alkins played for the Wildcats from 2016-18. If he’s ultimately found retroactively ineligible, UA’s four NCAA Tournament games and 50 regular-season wins that he played in could be vacated. Alkins played in all 32 of UA’s wins during the 2016-17 season, and in its three NCAA Tournament games, though foot injuries kept him from playing in nine UA wins during the 2017-18 season.
If forced to vacate wins with Alkins, the Wildcats’ record would change to 0-5 in 2016-17 and 9-5 in 2017-18.
