Former Maryland men’s basketball center Diamond Stone received $14,303 from the ASM Sports agency during his one season at Maryland, according to a federal report acquired by Yahoo Sports and released Friday.
The report, based on expense reports from the agency acquired by federal investigators and then obtained by Yahoo, lists Stone among more than 25 other players who received a loan from ASM, an agency led at the time by Andy Miller and his associate, Christian Dawkins.
There is no indication Stone received any improper benefits from Maryland.
“We are extremely disappointed, and we will fully cooperate with any investigation,” coach Mark Turgeon said in a statement after Maryland canceled its scheduled media availability Friday afternoon. “I do not have a relationship with Andy Miller or anyone from his agency, and at no time have I ever had a conversation with Andy Miller or his agency regarding any Maryland basketball player.”
Stone was the No. 6 recruit in the class of 2015, according to 247Sports. The Milwaukee native signing with the Terps instead of Wisconsin was considered a surprise, and he helped propel Maryland to a No. 3 preseason ranking for the 2015-16 season.
Stone played in all but one of Maryland’s 36 games that year, earning 22 starts. His 12.5 points per game ranked second on the team. After the Terps’ season ended with a Sweet 16 loss to Kansas, Stone declared for the NBA draft.
He entered college viewed as a potential lottery pick but was selected 40th overall by New Orleans and has played just seven NBA games in his career thus far, bouncing around the G League affiliate of several organizations. Stone is currently with the Windy City Bulls, the Chicago Bulls’ G League team.
Other players listed in the report are former North Carolina State guard Dennis Smith, former Seton Hall guard Isaiah Whitehead, former Washington guard Markelle Fultz and current Michigan State forward Miles Bridges, whose mother reportedly received $400 from the agency.
In a statement released to Yahoo, NCAA president Mark Emmert said the allegations “point to systematic failures that must be fixed and fixed now if we want college sports in America.” He added the report makes the ongoing work of the independent Commission on College Basketball, formed after last year’s FBI report incriminating several college coaches, headed by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, even more important now.
There is no word on any potential penalties for Maryland or any other school mentioned in the report.
