ARIZONA BASKETBALL

Arizona’s Sean Miller remains in spotlight during federal trial

Apr 24, 2019, 2:00 PM | Updated: 2:02 pm
Arizona NCAA college basketball coach Sean Miller gestures during a press conference in Tucson, Ari...
Arizona NCAA college basketball coach Sean Miller gestures during a press conference in Tucson, Ariz., Thursday, March 1, 2018. (Mike Christy/Arizona Daily Star via AP)
(Mike Christy/Arizona Daily Star via AP)

Video evidence presented Wednesday in the federal college basketball corruption trial included an FBI recording of defendant Christian Dawkins claiming that he and Arizona head coach Sean Miller discussed potential payments to then-recruit Deandre Ayton.

The involvement of the Wildcats head coach and former UA player, who is now on the Phoenix Suns, comes after U.S. District Court judge Edgardo Ramos ruled Miller’s need to testify as “irrelevant” last week.

Defense attorney Steve Haney told reporters he will ask Ramos on Thursday morning to reconsider that determination.

ESPN first reported that wiretaps included Miller discussing payments with Dawkins, and while prior federal trials involving the college basketball scandal confirmed the two spoke, there has yet to be audio evidence used in a trial of Miller speaking to Dawkins about such payments to Ayton.

ESPN’s initial report said FBI wiretaps included conversations between Dawkins and Miller about a $100,000 sum to ensure Ayton landed with the Wildcats. Paying recruits would break NCAA rules, but federal prosecutors have since suggested that is irrelevant to the case delving into illegal corruption.

The evidence presented Wednesday included a video of Dawkins and three others, including an undercover FBI agent, discussing Miller’s involvement with Ayton.

On March 1, 2018, after missing a road game following the ESPN report as the school looked into the allegations, Miller returned and read a prepared statement refuting ESPN’s story.

“I have never knowingly violated NCAA rules while serving as head coach of this great program. I have never paid a recruit or prospect or their family or representative to come to Arizona. I never have and I never will,” Miller said.

“Let me be very very clear: I have never discussed with Christian Dawkins paying Deandre Ayton to attend the University of Arizona. In fact, I never even met or spoke to Christian Dawkins until after Deandre publicly announced he was coming to our school. Any reporting to the contrary is inaccurate, false and defamatory.”

Arizona Basketball

Arizona guard Kerr Kriisa (25) reacts after Arizona State guard Desmond Cambridge Jr. hits a three ...
Arizona Sports

Kerr Kriisa entering transfer portal after 3rd year with Wildcats

Point guard Kerr Kriisa will enter the transfer portal after playing his third year with the Arizona Wildcats, he told ESPN.
1 day ago
Lauren Fields #23 of the Arizona Wildcats shoots as Abby Meyers #10 of the Maryland Terrapins defen...
Associated Press

Arizona WBB eliminated from NCAA Tournament with loss to No. 2 seed Maryland

Diamond Miller scored 24 points to help Maryland to a 77-64 victory over Arizona in the second around of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday night.
4 days ago
Arizona Wildcats guard Lauren Fields (23) shoots over West Virginia Mountaineers forward Isis Beh (...
Arizona Sports

March Madness: Arizona WBB underdogs in 2nd-round matchup with Maryland

Arizona women's basketball is the final of four teams from the state alive in March Madness after defeating West Virginia 75-62 on Friday. 
5 days ago
Arizona players sit on the bench in the final seconds of a first-round college basketball game agai...
Associated Press

Arizona, Virginia confront past misery after fresh March upsets

Arizona and Virginia lay claim to proud college basketball traditions but also developing reputations for NCAA Tournament disappointments.
5 days ago
Fairleigh Dickinson guard Grant Singleton (4) celebrates after a basket against Purdue in the secon...
Associated Press

Fairleigh Dickinson shocks No. 1 seed Purdue in NCAA Tournament

Fairleigh Dickinson became the second No. 16 seed in history to win an NCAA Tournament game, stunning top-seeded Purdue 63-58.
5 days ago
Head coach Adia Barnes of the Arizona Wildcats instructs her team during the game against the USC T...
Associated Press

Arizona women beat WVU to open their NCAA Tournament

Cate Reese scored 25 points and seventh-seeded Arizona beat 10th-seeded West Virginia in the women's NCAA Tournament.
6 days ago
Arizona’s Sean Miller remains in spotlight during federal trial