‘Honestly, it sucks’: Bruno Fernando talks Silvio De Sousa recruiting scandal

At Maryland men’s basketball media day Tuesday, coach Mark Turgeon and forward Bruno Fernando responded to allegations surrounding the recruitment of Kansas forward Silvio De Sousa, whose legal guardian allegedly accepted $60,000 from a Maryland booster before De Sousa ultimately went to Kansas.

Fernando and De Sousa knew each other growing up in Angola, and Fenny Falmagne is the legal guardian of both of them. They played together at IMG Academy after moving to the United States.

“I mean honestly, it sucks. It sucks that [De Sousa’s] in that situation,” Fernando said Tuesday. “He’s like a brother to me. Me and him grew up together. But at the end of the day, there isn’t really much I can do about it.”

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Last week, former Adidas consultant TJ Gassnola, who pleaded guilty in March to wire fraud, testified in federal court that a Maryland booster paid Falmagne $60,000 to secure De Sousa’s commitment.

“Some of the things that came out last week was the first time I’ve heard about it,” Turgeon said Tuesday. “I’ll just say that we’ve cooperated fully with the FBI investigation.”

After De Sousa committed to Kansas, the booster wanted the money back, Gassnola testified. Gassnola offered Falmagne $20,000 to help pay back the booster but ultimately never made the payment, he said.

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Fernando had previously shown support to De Sousa on social media, but Tuesday was the most extensively he’s talked about how it’s felt to see the man he considers a brother at the center of the college basketball corruption scandal.

“All I do is just talk to him, call him, text him to let him know that I’m here to support him. And I’m with him in whatever step that the journey [takes],” Fernando said. “I just try to talk to him and hear from him, what he has to say and give him a lot of encouragement for him to keep his head up and just keep going.”