Eligibility of former UCLA player Shabazz Muhammad questioned
By Kevin Bowman
March 26, 2014 7:59 p.m.
Ron Holmes, the father of former UCLA men’s basketball forward Shabazz Muhammad, used Muhammad’s potential NBA salary to procure a loan while Muhammad was still at UCLA, according to a BuzzFeed report Wednesday.
A memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada Daniel R. Schiess states that Holmes reached a deal to get up to $300,000 a year in loans and that Holmes had been living off that money.
The NCAA doesn’t allow student-athletes or their families to receive money relating to the player’s athletic ability, and violators of this rule are deemed ineligible. Given that Muhammad played a key role in UCLA’s Pac-12 title last season, UCLA could find that title revoked and its 2012-2013 wins vacated should the NCAA investigate the report and rule that Muhammad was ineligible.
UCLA associate athletic director of communications Josh Rupprecht responded to BuzzFeed Wednesday about its report.
“UCLA is aware of statements made in court proceedings subsequent to Shabazz Muhammad’s time at the university,” Rupprecht told BuzzFeed. “As in any situation of this type, after immediately becoming aware of this development, UCLA notified the Pac-12 and the NCAA with this new information.”
The Pac-12 and the NCAA have yet to comment on the situation.
Compiled by Kevin Bowman, Bruin Sports senior staff.
