Queens coach calls out SEC assistant for tampering during ASUN tournament: 'Is it ethical? In my opinion, no'

ST. LOUIS – Queens coach Grant Leonard, who earlier this month called out an SEC assistant for sitting courtside at the Atlantic Sun tournament in an effort to begin recruiting one of Leonard’s players, said Thursday he intends to address the topic through the National Association of Basketball Coaches at the appropriate time. Leonard made headlines when he posted on social media he saw an assistant coach from an unnamed SEC school “buy a courtside seat for one of our conference tournament games to ‘get ahead’ of recruiting one of my kids.

” Opinion: There's an easy fix for tampering if NCAA has guts to make it happen March Madness bracket: Who is in NCAA Tournament second round? Schedule update He did not identify the program involved, though it has since been reported the assistant works for Auburn. Across college athletics, tampering in the NIL-and-rev-share era has become a daily discussion, with coaches across sports frustrated at backdoor recruiting that begins long before it’s allowed, or at least encouraged.

Leonard’s public statements have made Queen one of a growing number of faces of that discussion, and he did not shy away from the question Thursday. “Is it permissible? ” Leonard said Thursday.

“Maybe. Maybe not. Is it ethical?