UConn Focused On Winning: Not Allegations, Questions About Recruit

Could there have been any worse moment in time for allegations to come up about possible major NCAA recruitment violations involving ex-recruit Nate Miles?  Miles—a 6'7" swingman out of Toledo, Ohio—was believed to be one of the most talented players to ever go to Storrs.

The day before the Huskies play their biggest game in almost three years, this is all you have heard on all the major sports networks. Two well-respected Yahoo! reporters put forward a story involving former UConn assistant coach Tom Moore and an athletic representative and former team manager Josh Nochinsom.

It's believed that Nochinsom was acting as an agent for Miles. He paid for his transportation, room, and meals at different restaurants. Nochinsom was an agent in the NBA until former Husky star Richard Hamilton found he had stolen over $1 million from him. 

Moore allegedly knew about the connection between Miles and Nochinsom. There are records that even show numerous phone calls and text messages linking Moore and Miles. This was taking place during his junior year of high school. In fact you're only allowed under NCAA rules to contact a player once a month when they are juniors in high school.

It's also believed that Calhoun had known about the interactions, which is also a violation of NCAA recruitment standards. This is probably the worst time of the year this story could break. UConn is playing as well as anybody in the Tournament and this is the last type of distraction they need to be dealing with at this moment in time.

The fact of the matter is Nate Miles was a big risk. He never played a game for UConn and was expelled from the university. This decision was made after he was arrested for sexual harrassment and then proceeded to violate a restraining order.

If you ask me this isn't the best way a college freshman should start his days on campus. The Huskies thought Miles had the potential to be a real star, yet it seems his ego and persona made him think he was invincible.

Miles' uncle tried to put the blame on the university. He has made the case that his nephew got mixed up with the wrong people, and there were a whole bunch of adults that should have been doing their job.

That's about as far from the truth if you ask me. It's more like UConn got mixed up in recruiting the wrong kid. Sometimes you have to look at more then the basketball talent the athlete has to offer. The personality and way a person conducts themselves is an exact reflections of the university.

As you can see some of the choices Miles made in his first weeks on campus were dumb and have cost him the chance of being able to be playing right now as the Huskies look to win another title.

Pettigrew—who is Miles' uncle—questions society and how sometimes it can chew you up and spit you out. I wonder if he has ever questioned some of the choices his nephew made. Obviously, they weren't the best for him in respect to where he is today.

Let it be known that this is happening all throughout college basketball. The idea is that an agent delivers a player to a university and in return, when the player decides to go pro, they will sign with that agent and both will be financially set.

A perfect example of this is Heat star Michael Beasley. He went to Kansas State after he had first committed to University of Charlotte. Many people have received favorable positions on staff in order to help bring in a prized recruit.

I don't expect these allegations to have any effect on the way the Huskies go out and play tomorrow night. This team has too much senior leadership and talent to let possible NCAA recruitment violations get in the way—especially when it deals with a student that the university expelled.

Calhoun and his coaching staff will be ready to bring it all against Purdue. The Huskies shouldn't be phased by the news that broke only hours before a game that will decide who moves on to play in the regional final.

This story will more then likely lead to an investigation to what exactly happened between UConn officials and Miles. It's not surprising that a story of this magnitude with specific allegations has been put forward after everything Miles went through during his short stay at Storrs.

Miles was a high-risk, high-reward recruit. In the end it looks like he has been a failure and has caused unnecessary headaches for UConn officials.

With that being said, that will have no impact when UConn steps on the court to play Purdue. Basketball is a game of execution and I fully expect to UConn to bring it's 'A' game come tomorrow night.

If they don't and are upset by the Boilermakers, you better believe questions regarding Nate Miles are going to be flying at Calhoun and company left and right.

As long as UConn plays to its potential and gets the job done, they will be focused on winning its third national title in 10 years. That wouldn't be too bad for a program that was barely known until Calhoun came along and built this basketball team into what it is today.