NCAA warning schools on Shabazz Muhammad’s eligibility

Jan 16, 2012; Springfield, MA, USA; Bishop Gorman Gaels forward Shabazz Muhammad (15) prior to a game against the DeMatha Stags at Blake Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-US PRESSWIRE

Well, this could cool off the Kentucky Wildcat’s pursuit of Shabazz Muhammad quickly.  Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish at CBS Sports just released a story that says the NCAA  has contacted school recruiting Shabazz Muhammad and made them aware of financial dealing that may affect Shabazz’s eligibility.  To be honest, it seems kind of unusual for the NCAA to sound the “red flag warning about a recruit when he was still in high school.  There were rumors about John Wall’s eligibility, but I don’t recall the NCAA getting involved before he made a commitment.  If this is true, I think we can expect Kentucky to drop their pursuit of Muhammad because it appears that whatever school gets him will get to have to deal with the same kind of eligibility drama Kentucky had with Enes Kanter.  Here is a brief excerpt from the CBS story:

The sources told CBSSports.com that the NCAA is specifically interested  in connections between Muhammad’s family and financial advisers Benjamin  Lincoln and Ken Kavanagh. Lincoln is a North Carolina-based financial planner whose brother, Geoff Lincoln, is an assistant coach for   Muhammad’s high school team in Las Vegas. Kavanagh is a New York-based    financial planner.

Muhammad’s father, Ron Holmes, acknowledged to CBSSports.com in multiple  phone calls this week that he knows both men and has been questioned by  an NCAA investigator about the relationships. Sources told CBSSports.com  Lincoln paid for at least two of Muhammad’s unofficial visits to college campuses and that Kavanagh has helped fund Muhammad’s summer team, the Las Vegas-based Dream Vision Foundation. Holmes, who has hired legal  counsel to assist with getting the NCAA inquiry resolved, confirmed both  statements as true to CBSSports.com.