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George Lombard Jr. 1st HR ๐Ÿคฉ
FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2017, file photo, North Carolina State guards Dennis Smith Jr. (4) and Torin Dorn react during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina, in Chapel Hill, N.C. This wasn't what Dennis Smith Jr. envisioned for his freshman _ and possibly only _ season at North Carolina State. Entering the Wolfpack's regular-season finale at Clemson, Smith has been a brilliant individual talent but his team struggled so badly that it ultimately cost coach Mark Gottfried his job. (AP Photo/Ellen Ozier, File)
FILE - In this Jan. 8, 2017, file photo, North Carolina State guards Dennis Smith Jr. (4) and Torin Dorn react during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina, in Chapel Hill, N.C. This wasn't what Dennis Smith Jr. envisioned for his freshman _ and possibly only _ season at North Carolina State. Entering the Wolfpack's regular-season finale at Clemson, Smith has been a brilliant individual talent but his team struggled so badly that it ultimately cost coach Mark Gottfried his job. (AP Photo/Ellen Ozier, File)Ellen Ozier/Associated Press

NC State Given NCAA Notice of Allegations Related to Dennis Smith Jr Recruitment

Scott PolacekJul 10, 2019

The North Carolina State Wolfpack basketball program reportedly received a notice of allegations from the NCAA regarding its recruitment of Dennis Smith Jr.ย 

Joe Giglio of the News & Observer reported the news, noting the ACC school received the documents Tuesday.

Among the allegations are two Level I violations, which are the harshest the NCAA hands out, and two Level II violations. Giglio explained the Level II violations stem from giving Smith complimentary tickets to games and a parking pass for a football game, while the Level I violations are related to his recruitment.ย 

According to Giglio, former head coach Mark Gottfriedโ€”who is currently the head coach at Cal State Northridgeโ€”received a "failure to monitor" charge as one of the Level I allegations. That charge is related to the other Level I allegation, which involved assistant coach Orlando Early reportedly securing a $40,000 payment for Smith's family during his recruitment.

Pat Forde, Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzelย of Yahoo Sports said "the first formal salvo has been fired by the NCAA in response to the federal corruption investigation that rocked college basketball. And the target is North Carolina State."

Citing a top NCAA official,ย Dennis Doddย of CBS Sports reported i June that at least six Division I men's basketball programs were set to receive notice of allegations for Level I violations. Among those six were two high-profile programs that would receive their notices by early July.

The Yahoo report suggested the notice "could jeopardize" Gottfried's status with Cal State Northridge because of the allegation he failed to monitor Early.

It also hearkened back to the 2018 trial of Adidas executive Jim Gatto, consultant Merl Code Jr. and potential agent-to-be Christian Dawkins, which revealed Early allegedly received the $40,000 from Adidas bag man T.J. Gassnola. Middleman Shawn Farmerย then allegedly got the money to Smith's family.

Gassnola testified for the federal government during its investigation into college basketball after pleading guilty to wire fraud.

North Carolina State, Gottfried and Early all have 90 days to respond to the NCAA's notice.

George Lombard Jr. 1st HR ๐Ÿคฉ