bill-self.jpg

Kansas coach Bill Self ripped the NCAA in a strong, pointed statement Friday after its decision to hand sophomore forward Silvio De Sousa a suspension for the entire 2018-19 and 2019-2020 seasons. 

"In my 30-plus years of coaching college basketball, I have never witnessed such a mean-spirited and vindictive punishment against a young man who did nothing wrong," Self said in his statement. "To take away his opportunity to play college basketball is shameful and a failure of the NCAA. Silvio is a tremendous young man who absolutely deserves to be on the court with his teammates in a Jayhawk uniform. This process took way too long to address these issues. We will support Silvio as he considers his options."

The ruling stems from the alleged involvement of De Sousa's guardian, Fenny Falmagne, who benefitted financially during his recruitment. It is not known if De Sousa had any knowledge of any behind-the-scenes transactions that allegedly took place.

De Sousa was roped into the college basketball corruption trial last fall when former Adidas consultant TJ Gassnola alleged that De Sousa's guardian received $2,500 from ex-runner Christian Dawkins and agreed to accept another $20,000 -- the latter a payment to help re-pay a Maryland booster's $60,000 donation, which was made to inspire De Sousa to commit to Maryland.

Kansas AD Jeff Long offered up a similarly harsh tone in his prepared statement alongside Self, saying KU is "shocked and incensed" by the decision. "We will immediately appeal as this was clearly an unfair and punitive ruling for a young man who had no knowledge of any NCAA violation, nor did Silvio personally benefit from the violation," he added. 

KU's request for reinstatement was a last-ditch effort to try and gain eligibility for De Sousa this season, and to give KU more depth in the frontcourt. With star big man Udoka Azubuike out for the season and De Sousa's initial prognosis out two, pending an NCAA appeal, it seems KU's plea has fallen on deaf ears.