(Image source from: tucson.com)

On Thursday, Arizona hastily called for news conference, and it looked like coach Sean Miller’s tenure in Tucson might be coming to an end soon.

However, the statement was denied vehemently by the coach. He claimed that the discussion was regarding a six-figure payment to a recruit instead. In next three hours to this statement, the school president declared that Miller will remain to be the 19th ranked Wildcats’ coach and continue his tenure.

"We have no reason to believe Miller violated NCAA rules or the law," university President Robert C. Robbins said after an Arizona Board of Regents meeting Thursday afternoon. "We will continue to pursue every avenue of inquiry available to us during this active and federal investigation to fully understand the facts.”

After being absent in one game, Miller was back on the sideline actively with the Wildcats when they played Stanford on Thursday night in Tucson. When Miller entered the arena, he was cheered by McKale Center crowd who stood and cheered just before the national anthem.  He as well responded well to this cheer by waving to the fans and crowd as his players were happy clapping and smiling.

FBI had Miller on a wiretap to discuss a $100,000 payment to Wildcats freshman Deandre Ayton to attend school, as reported by ESPN on Friday using anonymous sources.  Miller denied the report and said he was looking forward to shift his focus back to basketball as stated by the media inside Arizona’s McKale Center on Thursday.

Miller said "There was no such conversation". He also added "These statements have damaged me, my family, the university, Deandre Ayton and his incredible family." As confirmed by Robins, he and athletic director Dave Heeke planned to keep Miller on after having face-to-face discussions along with the coach and going over investigations carried by the school and federal authorities.

Robbins also said “Coach Miller is our coach”. He added “He has a contract and we’ll be moving forward.”

ESPN said Miller was caught on the FBI in its report, said was caught in wiretap discussion of the payment for Ayton with Christian Dawkins, a runner for Ex-NBA agent Andy Miller.

Ayton with his family denied having got any money from Dawkins and Miller issued a statement saying he was sure he would be vindicated last Saturday. And, he took it a step ahead on Thursday.

Miller said "I cannot remain silent on media reports that have impugned the reputation of me, the university and sullied the name of a tremendous young man, Deandre Ayton" He also added saying “Let me be very, very clear: I have never discussed with Christian Dawkins paying Deandre Ayton to attend the University of Arizona. In fact, I never spoke to or met Christian Dawkins until after Deandre publicly announced he was coming to our school. Any reporting to the contrary is inaccurate, false and defamatory. I'm outraged by the media statements that have been made and the acceptance by many that these statements were true."

ESPN said it affirms its reporting on Miller and the investigation by FBI. As per his statement on Saturday, Milled affirmed at Oregon that it was in the best interest of the program for him not to coach the team that night. He as well did not coach the team in practice three days over the week, sparking speculation he will step down or be fired.

Robbins told Miller did not coach against Oregon as the school was not sure of all the details and came as a shock of the report. Miller told "I have been completely open and transparent, and I look forward to coaching this team as we seek a Pac-12 regular-season championship this week," Miller also added, "I now intend to turn my focus to basketball, our players and this team."

Arizona’s program which was ensnared in the federal investigation became public in September into college basketball recruiting.

Wildcats assistant coach Emanuel Richardson who was arrested with nine more as part of the federal probe, alleging that kickbacks and bribes were in use to influence star players’ choices of schools, agents, shoe sponsors and other services like financial managers and tailors.  According to federal prosecutors, payments supplied by Adidas of up to $150,000 were promised to at least three top high school recruits to attend two schools which were sponsored by the shoe company.

Miller told he was once approached about paying a player to be present at Arizona, but did not go into specifics.

"The one time someone suggested to me paying a player to come to the University of Arizona, I did not agree to it. It never happened and that player did not come to the University of Arizona," he added.


-Kavita R