Texas-El Paso basketball coach Don Haskins scoffed at claims by a former recruit who said he was given housing, transportation and money.
"We've done nothing illegal," Haskins said. He will hold a news conference today to discuss the allegations.John Staggers, who played briefly for Salt Lake Community College, told the NCAA that he received favors from UTEP in 1988, the Los Angeles Times reported. Staggers also implicated UTEP assistants Rus Bradburd, now at Ball State, and G. Ray Johnson.
"I came out to (El Paso) with money, but I never spent my money because ... I didn't have to pay for anything," Staggers told the Times.
The charges come six months after the NCAA began an investigation of UTEP's basketball program.
During his senior year of high school in California, Staggers was considered one of the top 50 college prospects in the nation. But he had so many unexcused absences that he failed to graduate.
Staggers signed a letter of intent to play for UTEP, even though other schools looked at his transcript and shied away. But Staggers failed a General Equivalency Diploma certificate test.
He now attends Columbia Community College in California. Officials of that school said Staggers, faced with no other options, buckled down and did the work for his GED.
Bradburd refused to respond to the allegations Monday. Johnson denied buying meals or giving rides to Staggers.
The Times has also reported that former UTEP player Shelton Boykin boasted of boosters loaning luxury cars during the 1987-88 school year.