Beverley says he broke NCAA rules, will go pro

BY BOB HOLT

Posted on Sunday, August 17, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/234481/

FAYETTEVILLE — Patrick Beverley, who played guard for Arkansas’ basketball team the past two years, said he “violated NCAA rules” and also has signed with an agent, according to a FOXSports. com report.

Arkansas announced Aug. 8 that Beverley “will not compete for the Razorbacks in the 2008-2009 basketball season,” but offered no other details and cited student privacy laws as to why coaches and administrators wouldn’t comment.

“It had nothing to do with academics,” Beverley told FOXSports. com. “I violated NCAA rules and what happened went over the coaches’ heads.

“ A lot of people thought it was because of grades, but I go to class every day.”

FOXSports. com, ESPN. com and CBSSports. com reported Beverley wouldn’t play at Arkansas this season for academic reasons.

In light of Beverley’s statement that he broke NCAA rules, Arkansas officials still have no comment, said Kevin Trainor, the UA’s associate athletic director for media relations and communications.

Arkansas Coach John Pelphrey has not returned calls seeking comments on how Beverley’s loss affects the Razorbacks or his reaction to Beverley’s statement regarding breaking NCAA rules.

Beverley has signed with BDA Sports Management, FOXSports. com reported, and plans to play for a foreign team this season and then make himself available for the 2009 NBA Draft. By signing professionally, a college athlete forfeits any remaining eligibility.

“I’m going overseas for a year and hopefully I’ll be able to come back and get picked in the draft,” Beverley said. “This was hard because I was working out with the team [at Arkansas ] every day and getting ready for the season.”

Beverley, who started 67 of 70 games and averaged 13 points and 5. 5 rebounds in his two seasons at Arkansas, couldn’t be reached for comment.

Beverley, 6-1, led the Razorbacks in rebounding last season (6. 6 per game ) and would have been the team’s returning leader in scoring (12. 1 ), assists (2. 4 ) and steals (1. 3 ).

BDA Sports Management is headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., but has several branch offices, including one in Beverley’s hometown of Chicago.

Mike Conley, the former Razorback who won the gold medal in the triple jump at the 1992 Olympics, is listed as a vice president of player relations for BDA Sports Management, which represents numerous pro basketball players in the NBA and abroad.

Conley, who is leading Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics, couldn’t be reached for comment regarding Beverley.

While it’s noteworthy Beverley said he committed NCAA violations, not Arkansas, having a player make such a statement has to be disturbing for the UA.

Arkansas’ men’s track and f ield program was placed on three years’ probation in October 2007 by the NCAA Infractions Committee for violations the UA self-reported involving former assistant coach Lance Brauman.

According to Arkansas ’ investigation, Brauman helped sprinter Tyson Gay with transportation, housing and tutoring before he was academically eligible.

The NCAA Infractions Committee also imposed sanctions against Arkansas in April 2003 as a result of some basketball and football players being overpaid for work they performed at a Dallas trucking company that was owned by a booster.

Arkansas and the NCAA determined that from 1994-1999, at least 20 basketball and football players were overpaid an estimated combined total of $ 4, 300, for an average of $ 21 5 per person, when they were employed at J&H Truck Service, owned by Ted Harrod.