What about Duke and Ryan Kelly?
That’s the question some Kentucky fans are asking in wake of news that John Wall is facing some eligibility issue because of his dealings with his AAU coach Brian Clifton, who for a time was a certified agent.
Turns out Kelly, a 6-foot-10 freshman at Duke, was a teammate of Wall’s on Clifton’s AAU team.
Did Kelly receive money from Clifton? Did Kelly take any unofficial visits in which Clifton helped pay expenses?
A Sea of Blue, as well as plenty on Twitter, have brought up the Kelly question.
Meanwhile, Duke Basketball Report says there is a difference.
Excerpt:
Now you can look, but we’re pretty sure you won’t find any stories from last spring which suggest that Clifton tried to steer Kelly to Duke or that he was angling to be his agent or anything like that.
It is fair, however, to point out that Duke also recruited Wall and would likely be dealing with the same issues now had he chosen Duke.
. . . Despite all the rationalizations, the summer (!) of glory, Kentucky fans, broadly speaking, haven’t really faced up to the possibility that while Calipari has them imagining heights they haven’t yet climbed together, he also has the potential to leave their program wrecked again. Maybe they should consider this a reality check.
Actually, Clifton steering either Wall or Kelly anywhere is not the issue. Money is the issue. (It’s always the issue.)
And it may be that Kelly’s eligibility is also being investigated, but Duke, like UK, will not confirm nor deny eligiblity issues.
And perhaps AAC commissioner John Swofford hasn’t spoken about a possible problem, as SEC commissioner Mike Slive did Thursday.
Still, it will be interesting to see if Wall’s issue is also Kelly’s issue?
John, I was wondering the same thing about Kelly last night, after the Wall issue came out. My husband who is a UofL fan (yes we are a split household) automatically wanted to blame all of this on Coach Cal. So I know first hand about what some people are going to be saying about this issue. As for Kelly, surely if Wall is being investigated then Kelly is as well. However, I have this strong feeling that he is not. IMO, the NCAA has this thing about not hurting Duke. I hope you can stay on top of the Kelly issue as best you can. I’m just waiting to see if anything happens to Kelly, if something does happen to Wall.
These visits also occurred while Billy G was coach and not Coach Cal.
The ‘Duke Report’ defending Ryan Kelly was pointless and speculatory, saving its final thoughts to insulting the integrity of Kentucky fans and our judgement in regards to our coach and the sport in general. It’s a total waste of reading.
It was my understanding that the difference between Wall and Kelly was that Kelly’s family paid for his unofficial to Vandy. Kelly comes from an affluent family that paid for and traveled with him on his unofficial. The only reason this appears to be an issue for Wall is because he accepted money from Clifton. At worst, he will repay the funds and MIGHT miss a few games.
Funny that you only mentioned Kelly. Wouldn’t this affect anyone who played on that AAU team? Sorry, there is no conspiracy theory where UK is being singled out.
Duke fan, have no doubt that you are probably correct about Kelly. And you are right about how everyone on Clifton’s team will have to face the same questions.
As usual, nothing is said about any violations when it comes to Duke, NC and of programs which the NCAA consider to be absolutely 100% “squeaky clean.” They are never or as least if they are investigated, the reults are kept secret. No one can make me believe that these elite programs have gotten all these top players in the country for so long without someone making gifts to some of them. It may not be the coaching staff, but the University and the staff are responible for supporters and booster clubs by keeping a check on their relationships with players. The NCAA listens too much to Dick Vitale and that other TV sports reporter who never has anything poositive to say about the SEC, but praises the “squeaky clean” ACC. I wonder why the SEC commissioner told this and the ACC commissioner did not. If Riley is not being investigated, WHY? If he is, and the ACC commissioner is keeping it under wraps, then I wonder if the SEC commissioner is biased toward Kentucky and coach “Cal” to make them look bad in the eyes of the public. Usually the University AD responds first about the investigation. Not this time! Even if Riley”s “affluent” family paid his expenses, the NCAA would not know that unless they investigated. An investigation is an investigation even though he may be innocent. But any investigation (if he is innocent or not) should be made public to remove any suspicion. I find it hard to believe that everyone in that camp was “affluent” enough to pay their way except Walls, which was insinuated he couldn’t, but Walls was the only one made public. Since the SEC commissioner made it public, it must have had the NCAA blessing. If that’s the case, the NCAA should announce that everyone in that camp is under investigation.
So, from where will John Wall get the money that he will use to repay?
I think he might qualify for a loan based on future earnings.
I think the reason Kelly wasn’t mentioned is that Forde and Oneill figured that Duke had been sufficiently punished by the Titanic skit shown at midnight madness. I believe they are using that as “time served”.
John Clay: you’re a professional writer (supposedly). I would think you’d see the differing circumstances in Ryan Kelly’s upbringing and John Wall’s. Kelly comes from a family that actually has financial stability and can readily afford to send their kid to various college campuses. John Wall didn’t grow up with the same luxury. I think the Kelly family knows that having anyone other than themselves pay for trips wasn’t worth the potential for getting caught up in some sort of rules violations.
Also, John Clay, as a “professional” sports writer I think you should know that receiving a financial loan based on future earnings is one of the LARGEST infractions a student-athlete can commit.
diehardblueoast, the issue here is nothing against UK or the SEC. It is simply the fact that Clifton, who was a registered agent, may have paid for some of Wall’s expenses on unofficial visits. By all accounts, he did not pay for Ryan Kelly (who’s Riley???), or any other players on his team. I am sure that if he did pay for any of his other visits, it will come to light. Wall’s eligibility has been in question before he ever committed to UK.
The “loan” comment is partly in jest. Student-athletes may take out loans based on future earnings in order to obtain disability insurance, etc. In this case, I would think the university involved, i.e. UK, would work with the NCAA to show that Wall was in good faith paying back Clifton, it that indeed turns out to be the case. If some sort of financial debt is taken, with purpose of repaying the funds, it would have to be by approval of the NCAA and not involve a booster of the school or a prospective agent.
Scott, go by Ikea and pick up a sense of humor. Several people have, including John Clay, and it is a wonderful product from Sweden.
I would be interested in knowing how Wall’s “upbringing” is different than Kelly’s “upbringing.” Cause I tell you what many will read: code for “hey, he’s white, has two parents, is going to Duke and can obviously pay his own way on trips.”
As for Ryan Kelly’s “upbringing,” I think it is quite possible that Kentucky sportswriters do not know Kelly’s family’s financial status and are color blind enough not to assume anything based on his race or college choice. I for one have not seen his parents’ income tax returns or financial statements. Heck, I haven’t even rooted around in their 401K investements. The bigger point is important though – if Clifton is the problem, all of his players should receive the same scrutiny.
If Ryan is clear, great. Given the NCAA history with the Maggette situation, UK fans would like to know that the NCAA at least bothered to look.
Oh oh, another UNC hater. Hi, Hater! UNC has nothing to do with this, who ever received money or extra benefits will be dealt with.
USC is the one who should be talked about when it come to X-TRA bebefits, buts this is about Wall, not football.
John, what about Clifton’s status as a family friend? I believe that there was some discussion that Clifton befriended John Wall shortly after his father died, and has acted as a father figure prior to John Wall becoming a basketball prospect. I don’t know if Clifton’s status as an agent complicates this (although it reminds me of the Mike Conley, Sr./Greg Oden relationship), but didn’t Rondo/Derek Anderson car situation involve similar issues. At any rate, this seems to be a non-issue.
Similar “family friend” deal happened with Dale Brown back in the Pitino Era.
Quite simply, if the question is whether Clifton paid for anything for Wall on a visit while Clifton was a certified agent, then the NCAA should be investigating any trips with any student-athletes Clifton took during that period to determine whether he paid any expenses or not. The focus on Wall is clearly due to his committment to UK, as it is sure to get more news, but there must be additional names besides Wall and potentially Kelly that run the same risk.
And to the smug fellow who said Kelly’s family has the money to not risk this kind of thing, it’s not a matter of if they have the money, but whether they actually did pay for everything on any trip he went on. Also, the “poor” have not cornered the market on stupidty. Often it’s the people who didn’t have to do something that make the mistake, which makes it all the more ironic. If Clifton ever travelled with him or bought him anything (such as team dinners, which I saw mentioned somewhere in a Wall article), then he should be facing the exact same scrutiny as Wall. And so should any other player from those teams.
Bottom line, again, if this is about Clifton’s relationship with Wall, than the relationship Clifton had with all of his players should be examined. If the NCAA has already done that, then they should probably make that clear so as to forestall accusations of favoritism.
All of this sounds exactly like the typical argument between my 4 and 6 year old. “She did it too!!!”
Maybe Wall is the only player that went on visits with Clifton…Maybe the NCAA has investigated that and they’ve found that to be the case…Thinking this is some conspiracy against Kentucky is laughable.
When Kentucky fans complain of ‘insulting their integrity’
I wonder what reality means to them.
History has a stench.
You Kentucky fans are absolutely right. Let’s suspend both Ryan Kelly and John Wall for the entire season! Have fun in the NIT.
I think a Duke player would have to do something much worse to be suspended for even one game. Just ask Corey Maggette.
Look, the difference between John Wall and Ryan Kelly are evident. I dont think Ryan Kelly wasn’t caught in an abandon house hooking up with some chick with his boys. John Wall is an arrogant thug that has had an attitude problem forever. Word of God, what a joke of a school. Wall and his new coach deserve each other and I’m sure probation will end up at some time at Kentucky with that dirty cheat as a coach.
If John Wall is such a “thug” why was Duke recruiting him so hard?
Can someone explain to me how anyone can prove any of these kids took money. As for the Calipari haters, this man has absolutley nothing to do with this. Clifton should be the one in trouble here, and if Wall has to sit then every player that played for this guy should have to sit also. Also, why is Wall the only one mentioned here?
It upset me that Duke even showed him the slightest bit of attention. I forget what high school he went to before he transferred to Word of God’s basketball academy. I might have the story a little wrong but I believe he was cut due to attitude and fighting issues as a freshman.(I believe that’s the grade he flunked) I would much rather have Andre Dawkins because of his great attitude. Kyrie Irving might not have come to Duke if Wall would have made a brief stint in Durham and I am so thankful for that, I believe Kyrie’s upside is huge. I just don’t understand how Kentucky would hire Callapari. Isn’t Calipari to become the first college basketball coach ever to have Final Fours vacated at two different schools? It’s only a matter of time guys…….
But isn’t what Marcus Camby did at UMass that led to the vacating of their FF the same thing that Corey Maggette did at Duke?
“But isn’t what Marcus Camby did at UMass that led to the vacating of their FF the same thing that Corey Maggette did at Duke?”
Nice try. What Maggette did is the same thing Wall did. Took money for expenses. And it was done before Duke was recruiting him and without the knowledge of the university (hmmm, sort of like this situation…). The punishment is the same as it will be in this case – pay the money back and the player is suspended for 10% of the team’s regular season games. The difference is that Maggette did not get found out until AFTER he had left the school and therefore could not be punished by the NCAA. So if it’s no big deal in Wall’s case it was no big deal in Maggette’s.
And this entire situation is based on Clifton paying for Wall’s expenses for unofficial visits. He has been a father figure for Wall but has no legal guardianship which is where the issue lies. He did not do this for any other player on the team. UK did nothing wrong which is why the PLAYER is penalized and not the University.
Yet Memphis is punished for something Derrick Rose did before he attended. The vacating of their tournament run may be the only way to punish him but also expunges the accomplishments of his teammates who did nothing wrong.
The problem I have with Just_me is that Duke should have been punished. There was a set of brithers that played for myron piggy as well as Maggette. One played for Missouri and the other played for UCLA, at least I think I have the schools right. If I remember correctly they had to pay back money earned in the NCAA tournament and forfit games as well. It may have been one or the other, my point is the NCAA can hit who they decide they want to, but in this case left Duke and John Wall alone. This is a sad case for the NCAA.