Ex-Adidas rep says Kansas Jayhawks basketball’s Bill Self knew Zion recruiting details

In his book, a former Adidas executive says that Kansas coach Bill Self knew details of Zion Williamson’s recruitment to KU detailed previously in the Adidas college basketball corruption trial.

Merl Code, a former Adidas employee who will soon be entering federal prison for his involvement in college basketball’s pay-to-play scheme, released an advance copy of his upcoming book to SI’s Pat Forde, who wrote about some relevant details Monday.

The 2018 federal trial initially discussed a wiretapped call between Code and KU assistant coach Kurtis Townsend, where Code — discussing Williamson’s future commitment — said, “I know what he’s asking for. ... “He’s asking for opportunities from an occupational perspective. He’s asking for money in the pocket. And he’s asking for housing for him and the family.”

According to court testimony, Townsend replied to Code, “So, I’ve got to just try to work and figure out a way. Because if that’s what it takes to get him for 10 months, we’re going to have to do it some way.”

Townsend’s attorney, Stu Brown, previously said Code and Townsend’s communication was routine and permissible while claiming it did not involve improper recruiting assistance.

Code, in his book, says many people at KU were aware of Willamson’s recruitment, including the head coach.

“Bill Self was constantly kept abreast from his own coaches and the higher-ups at Adidas in terms of what was happening in the Jayhawks’ pursuit of Zion,” Code says in his book, according to Forde. “It’s all in the transcripts of the intercepted text messages. But again, the jury never saw or heard any of it. Self has subsequently denied any wrongdoing in the matter.

“But the higher-ups at Kansas saw it and heard it. And they swiftly rewarded Bill Self with a lifetime contract, which included a very interesting clause that stated the coach who’d delivered them a national championship in 2008 would not be fired ‘due to any current infractions matter.’”

Williamson did not choose KU, eventually committing to Nike school Duke.

Self, in a 2018 press conference speaking about KU’s NCAA allegations, gave a blanket statement about his team’s recruiting practices, saying, “My staff and I have not and do not offer improper inducements to (recruits) or their families ... nor are we aware of any third-party involvement to do so.”

Code also says in his book that he paid $10,000 to former Kentucky player Anthony Davis’ family during his one season with the Wildcats in 2011-12. He said he met with a former UK assistant athletic director, who wanted to funnel sales from a Davis unibrow T-shirt to the family with an agreement that the Davises would never sue.

Code says he delivered an envelope of cash to Davis’ mother the day of the Kentucky-Indiana game in Bloomington on Dec. 10, 2011.

“These are really good people,” Code wrote of the Davises. “That kid and his family deserved an opportunity to live without constantly worrying about keeping a roof over their heads and food on the table, especially while AD was generating tens of millions of dollars for everyone except himself. … I have no qualms about what we did to help them. Now, with athletes being permitted to profit off their names, images and likenesses, I actually feel vindicated in helping that family in the way that we did. It was the right thing to do —to hell with what the NCAA would have said at the time.”

Davis’ Kentucky team defeated KU, 67-59, in the 2012 national championship game. Davis was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player.

KU’s NCAA case — Self and the men’s basketball team are accused of five Level I allegations — remains immersed in the Independent Accountability Review Process. A final resolution is expected sometime in 2022.

Code was sentenced to three months in federal prison in October 2019 for his role in the college basketball bribery scheme.