The federal trial on corruption in college basketball resumed today and most of the day was centered on Adidas allegedly sending players to the Kansas Jayhawks.
Most notably, text messages between former Adidas consultant T.J. Gassnola, Kansas coach Bill Self and assistant coach Kurtis Townsend indicated the Kansas coaches were at least aware of Gassnola’s involvement in the Jayhawks’ recruitment of current player Silvio De Sousa.
Here are details via ESPN:
On Aug. 9, 2017, Townsend texted Gassnola and wrote, “Coach Self just talked to Fenny let me know how it goes.”
A few hours later, Gassnola texted Self: “Hall of Fame. When you have 5 minutes and your [sic] alone call me.”
Later that night, after Self hadn’t responded, Gassnola texted him again: “I talked with Fenny.”
“We good,” Self asked via text.
“Always,” Gassnola replied. “That’s [sic] was light work. Ball is in his court now.”
According to cellphone records presented during Monday’s testimony, Gassnola and Self had a five-minute, six-second phone call later that night. Gassnola testified that he didn’t recall what the men talked about. His phone was not being monitored via FBI wiretaps at the time.
On Aug. 26, 2017, Townsend forwarded Gassnola a text message that he said he’d received from Falmagne: “Coach has been on the phone with Angola. We are good to go. We will commit tomorrow.”
De Sousa, who attended IMG Academy, committed to Kansas four days later.
TJ Gassnola just testified in court that former Adidas exec Jim Gatto told him he got a call from Bill Self thanking him after Silvio de Sousa committed to Kansas.
‘Yes,’ Gassnola said.
Gassnola testified he never talked payments to De Sousa’s guardian w/ Self or K Townsend
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) October 15, 2018
Gassnola has said he never sent $20K to de Sousa’s guardian but did send him $2,500. https://t.co/ts9brc0xLg
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) October 15, 2018
