Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Villanova has suspended freshman forward JayVaughn Pinkston for the rest of the season after he was charged with assault.
School officials on Monday announced that Pinkston will be able to rejoin the school and the team in June. He still has to reapply to school next summer to regain student in good standing status.
“I am sorry,” Pinkston said in a statement. “This situation is my responsibility and I have learned from it. I am going to work extremely hard so that I can return to the Villanova family in June.”
Upper Merion Township police charged Pinkston with simple assault and harassment in November following an off-campus altercation. The top recruit had been held out of all Villanova’s games this season.
“This is an unfortunate situation for everyone involved,” said Kimani Young, Pinkston’s mentor with the New Heights AAU program. “Villanova is a great place for him as a player and as a person. It is our hope that JayVaughn will be able to continue his education and basketball career at Villanova in the fall. JayVaughn is learning a valuable life lesson through this process and will become a better young man from it.”
Said head coach Jay Wright: “I am in support of the University’s decision. JayVaughn understands that there are consequences to his actions, and I believe he will continue to handle this in a mature manner. We look forward to his return in June.”
A McDonald’s All-American out of Brooklyn Bishop Loughlin, Pinkston chose Villanova over Tennessee last year.
(The AP contributed; Photo courtesy Villanova Athletics)
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
Villanova has suspended freshman forward JayVaughn Pinkston for the rest of the season after he was charged with assault.
School officials on Monday announced that Pinkston will be able to rejoin the school and the team in June. He still has to reapply to school next summer to regain student in good standing status.
“I am sorry,” Pinkston said in a statement. “This situation is my responsibility and I have learned from it. I am going to work extremely hard so that I can return to the Villanova family in June.”
Upper Merion Township police charged Pinkston with simple assault and harassment in November following an off-campus altercation. The top recruit had been held out of all Villanova’s games this season.
“This is an unfortunate situation for everyone involved,” said Kimani Young, Pinkston’s mentor with the New Heights AAU program. “Villanova is a great place for him as a player and as a person. It is our hope that JayVaughn will be able to continue his education and basketball career at Villanova in the fall. JayVaughn is learning a valuable life lesson through this process and will become a better young man from it.”
Said head coach Jay Wright: “I am in support of the University’s decision. JayVaughn understands that there are consequences to his actions, and I believe he will continue to handle this in a mature manner. We look forward to his return in June.”
A McDonald’s All-American out of Brooklyn Bishop Loughlin, Pinkston chose Villanova over Tennessee last year.
(The AP contributed; Photo courtesy Villanova Athletics)
