The NCAA is investigating whether Reggie Rose, the brother of NBA star Derrick Rose, purchased a plane ticket for Ryan Boatright during Boatright’s AAU career with the D-Rose All-Stars, the Danbury News Times is reporting.
An “NCAA source with knowledge of the investigation” told the paper Boatright, now a freshman guard at UConn, could end up missing “three to six games.”
“I am complying with the NCAA and the investigation,” Tanesha Boatright, Ryan’s mother, told SNY.tv. “My focus is getting Ryan back to what he loves to do, playing ball.”
Reggie Rose did not immediately answer a phone call or text message Saturday morning seeking comment.
UConn announced Wednesday that Boatright will be allowed to sit on the bench during games, but will not dress or play until the investigation is complete.
“We look forward to getting him back,” UConn coach Jim Calhoun said, according to the News Times.
The 6-foot point guard, who won the team’s slam dunk competition during its annual First Night celebration, was expected to see a lot of playing time this year as a backup for sophomore Shabazz Napier.
Boatright made national news as an eighth-grader when he verbally committed to USC and then head coach Tim Floyd, but decommitted after Floyd resigned.
He committed to West Virginia last fall, but changed his mind several days later after the Mountaineers secured a verbal pledge from Mount Vernon (N.Y.) star Jabarie Hinds.
Boatright is part of UConn’s highly touted freshmen class that also includes 6-11 Andre Drummond and 6-8 DeAndre Daniels.
