Fansided

College basketball’s 30 biggest cheaters that tainted the game

By Mike Phillips

ATHENS, GREECE - APRIL 23: Rick Pitino, Head Coach of Panathinaikos OPAP Athens react during the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Play Off game 3 between Panathinaikos Opap Athens v Real Madrid at Olympic Sports Center Athens on April 23, 2019 in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Panagiotis Moschandreou/EB via Getty Images)
ATHENS, GREECE - APRIL 23: Rick Pitino, Head Coach of Panathinaikos OPAP Athens react during the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Play Off game 3 between Panathinaikos Opap Athens v Real Madrid at Olympic Sports Center Athens on April 23, 2019 in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Panagiotis Moschandreou/EB via Getty Images) /
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3 Apr 1995: Head Coach Jim Harrick of UCLA watches his team in action against Arkansas during the Bruins 89-78 victory over the Razorbacks during the 1995 NCAA Mens Championship in Seattle, Washington. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn/Allsport
3 Apr 1995: Head Coach Jim Harrick of UCLA watches his team in action against Arkansas during the Bruins 89-78 victory over the Razorbacks during the 1995 NCAA Mens Championship in Seattle, Washington. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn/Allsport /

12. Jim Harrick

Like a few other coaches on this list, Jim Harrick is a tremendous basketball coach. Harrick won a national championship at UCLA in 1995, the last time the historic program won a title, but he also has committed his fair share of rules violations.

Things unraveled for Harrick at UCLA in 1996, when he was accused of falsifying receipts at a recruiting dinner when two of his current players came to the table, creating a rules violation. Harrick tried to cover it up by saying his wife and the wife of the Athletic Director were at the table, but that lie failed.

UCLA gave Harrick an ultimatum of either resigning or being fired, and he chose the firing, leading to a year hiatus before he resurfaced at Rhode Island. A strong showing with the Rams enabled Harrick to land at Georgia, where he was working on turning the Bulldogs around.

When Harrick landed at Georgia, he brought on his son as an assistant, and that would prove to be his undoing. Harrick Jr got himself into trouble for paying the expenses for a player and giving A’s to three players for a basketball strategy course he taught even though they never attended a class.

Georgia fired Harrick’s son and suspended him for his involvement, with Harrick himself ultimately resigning after being told his contract wouldn’t be renewed. The NCAA gave Harrick a seven-year show-cause penalty for his role in the violations, and he hasn’t been a head coach in college basketball since.