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Dean Smith’s $200 gift might be a NCAA violation

By CM Towle

Mar 11, 2015; Greensboro, NC, USA; A general view of the basket and ball at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2015; Greensboro, NC, USA; A general view of the basket and ball at Greensboro Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Late college basketball coach Dean Smith left $200 dollars each to his former players after he passed, but it could be an NCAA violation.

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It’s one of the best recent stories to come out of college basketball recently. Former and legendary UNC coach Dean Smith passed away and left $200 out of his trust to each of his former players. Smith was known to be very close to his players and have strong bonds with them, and that shows even after his death. However, Smith’s final act of kindness might be in violation of NCAA rules.

Forbes apparently looked into the rules to see if the gesture violated any rules and unfortunately, it looks like the answer is yes. The interpretation of the NCAA’s bylaws says that college athletes cannot accept any remuneration based on their status as athletes. It also includes money offered after graduation based on what they did while in college.

Most likely if a website raising money for an athlete after they graduate is considered a violation, then so would a trust fund that was set up to to gift athletes long after graduation.

The obvious course of action would be to let it slide based on the nature of the gift, but as College Spun points out, UNC is probably not the school to be asking for leniency at the time.

If it turns out to be the case that Smith’s gift is disallowed and the NCAA actually chooses to enforce it, it might be time for them to take a closer look at their rules. There’s definitely a difference between bribes and a touching gift from a former, and now deceased, coach.

[H/T: College Spun]

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