Sean Miller, Will Wade won't testify in college hoops corruption trial; wiretaps won't be heard
A federal judge in New York ruled Friday that Arizona head coach Sean Miller and LSU head coach Will Wade won’t have to testify at an upcoming college basketball corruption trial.
Steven Haney, the attorney for defendant Christian Dawkins — a middleman found guilty alongside Adidas executives of funneling bribes to steer a player to Louisville — had subpoenaed Wade and Miller’s testimony for a second corruption trial.
Prosecutors filed a motion arguing that their testimony would be irrelevant to the trial focusing on alleged bribes paid to assistant coaches at Arizona, Oklahoma State and Southern California.
Judge sides with prosecutors
U.S. District Court Judge Edgardo Ramos agreed with the prosecution, rejecting Haney’s subpoena.
Wiretap won’t be heard
In addition, prosecutors in the case told the Baton Rogue Advocate that wiretap audio of Wade discussing with Dawkins making a "strong-ass offer to a recruit believed to be LSU guard Javonte Smart will not be heard during the trial.
Yahoo Sports’ Pat Forde, Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel gained access to those wiretaps in March.
‘Strong-ass offer’
“Dude,” Wade said to Dawkins. “I went to him with a [expletive] strong-ass offer about a month ago. [Expletive] strong.
“The problem was, I know why he didn’t take it now, it was [expletive] tilted toward the family a little bit,” Wade continued. “It was tilted toward taking care of the mom, taking care of the kid. Like it was tilted towards that. Now I know for a fact he didn’t explain everything to the mom. I know now, he didn’t get enough of the piece of the pie in the deal.”
Miller has also reportedly been recorded on wiretaps discussing payment to former Arizona star Deandre Ayton.
‘Systematic cheating at the highest level’
Haney had argued that the wiretaps would expose Miller and Wade as the culprits in “systematic cheating at the highest level,” and that Dawkins did not discuss bribes on the wiretaps, according to ESPN.
"The evidence establishes very clearly that Sean Miller is paying players at Arizona," Haney said in court on Friday.
Ramos reserved the right to change his mind on the issue in a trial that starts Monday and is expected to last several weeks.
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