NFL Tickets
Off the hands of Butler forward Gordon Hayward, a last second heave in a two-point contest clanked off the rim as Duke celebrated the 2010 national championship.
The victory marked a crowning moment for Blue Devils’ starting forward Lance Thomas, who averaged 4.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game as a senior in 2009-10.
However, recent reports and an emerging lawsuit against Thomas may be jeopardized the integrity of the Blue Devils’ program, yet will it cause a push for an investigation from the NCAA?
Back on Dec. 21, 2009, Thomas, a native of Brooklyn, New York, walked into Rafaello & Co. in Manhattan and purchased five diamond encrusted items totaling $97,800. A down payment of $30,000 was made while the remaining portion of the bill was expected within the next 15 days.
The remaining payment, totaling $67,800 never came and now Rafaello & Co. is suing Thomas for its money. Thomas spent the 2011-12 season with the New Orleans Hornets, averaging 4.0 points while appearing in 42 games.
Speculation into how Thomas obtained the money used to buy the jewelry comes without question, as do potential NCAA infractions in relation to the lawsuit. However, there is no guarantee of an investigation from the NCAA, yet the situation certainly could call for something to be done, which in turn could leave Duke’s national championship in hot water.
It remains to be seen how Thomas acquired the money or even why the jeweler loaned the forward a substantial portion of the overall sale. Not only is the speculation into how Thomas had $30,000 to spend worth the raise of an eyebrow, why too did the jeweler provide such a substantial difference in the down payment and the total? Was it because Thomas was a starter for one of college basketball’s top programs?
If the NCAA does pursue an investigation it only leads to additional speculation that the jeweler may have been providing Thomas with an “extra benefit,” in which all fans of college sports know instantly makes that player ineligible to participate. In turn, that could lead to the vacation of the Blue Devils’ 2010 national championship season.
The lawsuit against Thomas was originally filed in January of this year, but was not publicly disclosed until recently. Thomas’ agent, John Spencer, told the Associated Press that he was unaware of the purchase back in 2009.
While rumors and thought patterns will continue to take its course until the NCAA or Duke decided whether or not to pursue any action, it would seem unlikely that head coach Mike Krzyzewski knew anything about the purchase back in 2009.
The NCAA has continuously attempted to punish and provide an example of past programs under investigation. The NCAA ruled “strict liability” in its case against Memphis and former guard Derrick Rose, yet the ruling was down played due to an overall lack of knowledge. Could this past example play a part in this case, as well? Only time will tell, yet the Tigers were still stripped of their Final Four and national championship game appearance that season.
In all, if the NCAA does pursue an investigation, the questions will arise on whether or not it could have the same result for the Blue Devils’ 2010 crown.
Be sure to follow Paul Seaver on Twitter: @TheArenaPulse
Share 
