Originally published May 16, 2008 at midnight, updated June 5, 2008 at 11:11 a.m.
Darrell Arthur is expected to be picked in the first round of the NBA Draft this month because of a successful college career at Kansas, but one of Arthur’s high school teachers is alleging that he shouldn’t have been eligible to play in college at all.
Winford Ashmore, Arthur’s freshman algebra teacher at South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas, told WFAA-TV that Arthur’s grade was changed from failing to passing in his 2002 class. The Dallas television station investigated the claims and reported that Arthur’s math grade was also changed the next year.
If Arthur didn’t pass high school algebra, he wouldn’t have been eligible to play Division-I college basketball. James Mays Jr., Arthur’s high school basketball coach, denied the report and said he was upset that the television station would release the story without sufficient information.
“We’re disappointed and frustrated at the same time,” Mays said. “These allegations are completely untrue.”
The Dallas Independent School District is conducting its own investigation to determine if any grade-changing took place. If the school district finds that Arthur’s grades were tampered with, South Oak Cliff would likely have to forfeit its 2005 state championship.
Stacey Osburn, the NCAA’s associate director of public relations, couldn’t answer the question about how this would affect the KU national championship.
“Until the Dallas Independent School District has concluded its investigation, it is premature for the NCAA to speculate on this matter,” she said.
WFAA-TV, however, reported in its initial story that an NCAA official said a university could be forced to forfeit all games if an ineligible player was used. Like all NCAA athletes, Arthur was ruled eligible to compete by the NCAA Clearinghouse before arriving on campus in 2006.
Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director, said that while Arthur passing through the clearinghouse didn’t absolve the University of all responsibility, he didn’t think the University was involved in any wrongdoing.
“I would be much more concerned if I thought that Darrell or anybody from Kansas had done anything improper,” Marchiony said. “I know that’s not the case.”
Marchiony added that the Athletics Department had not been given any notification of when the school district’s investigation would be completed.
Everyone involved is waiting for the investigation to run its course, including Kansas basketball coach Bill Self.
“I’m sure the high school and the school district will do a good job determining the facts,” Self said in a statement. “It would be premature and inappropriate for anyone to comment any further until the process in Dallas takes its course.”
Arthur has not commented on the situation, either. He attended the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Orlando last week where he told reporters he intended to remain in the draft.
Mays has been in contact with Arthur since WFAA’s story first aired. He said that while Arthur was disappointed by the allegations, he wasn’t letting it distract him from preparing for his life as a professional basketball player.
Mays also said he planned to pursue legal action against both Ashmore and the television station. Ashmore declined to comment.
— Edited by Rustin Dodd
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