The Auburn Tigers and USC Trojans are each losing a top player due to the programs’ involvement in the FBI’s college basketball corruption scandal. Auburn will be without center Austin Wiley, and USC will be without guard De’Anthony Melton for the remainder of the season.
2 college basketball stars will be held out for season due to FBI scandal ties
Auburn’s Austin Wiley and USC’s De’Anthony Melton will not be playing college basketball this season.
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Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
Wiley has been ruled ineligible by the NCAA after Auburn self-reported violations involving recruiting, extra benefits, and agent-related activity, the NCAA has announced. Wiley can gain eligibility for the 2018-19 season, but it’s possible he turns pro before that.
USC is making the decision itself to hold Melton out. The sophomore guard hasn’t played the entire season as the Trojans have investigated his role in the FBI probe. A family friend of Melton’s allegedly received $5,000 to direct the player to use a certain agent and financial services when he eventually turned pro.
Wiley and Melton are also two of the players who won’t be eligible to play in the G-League this season because they were enrolled at school for the current academic year.
USC and Auburn have gone in different directions since the FBI scandal. USC was ranked No. 10 in the preseason polls but has stumbled to a 12-6 start. Auburn, meanwhile, is one of the best stories of the season. The Tigers are ranked in the AP Poll right now for the first time in 15 years after a 15-1 start.
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