Frank Martin: ‘I’m telling you, we’re clean’

Frank Martin on Monday spoke for more than 40 minutes at Colonial Life Arena, spending the majority of the news conference addressing South Carolina’s connections to two prominent Yahoo Sports reports.

Several words were transcribed, but here’s something to start with: “We went to the Final Four last year and I’m telling you, we’re clean,” said the South Carolina coach.

A report, published Friday morning, listed P.J. Dozier, a centerpiece to USC’s Final Four team last season, and current player Brian Bowen among those who allegedly received financial benefits from the ASM Sports agency.

According to the report, Dozier “received at least $6,115 while in school.”

The Yahoo report featured more than 20 college basketball programs, including Louisville. The Cardinals signed Bowen, a former McDonald’s All-American, last June. He spent the fall semester at U of L, but was ruled ineligible to play in the wake of the FBI probe that led to coach Rick Pitino’s ouster.

Bowen came to South Carolina last month and is redshirting this season while the school tries for his reinstatement. Friday’s report mentioned Bowen’s family receiving “at least $7,000 in benefits.”

Another Yahoo report, published Saturday morning, mentioned current USC assistant Chuck Martin – while he was on Indiana’s staff – being referenced in an email from ASM’s Christian Dawkins to ASM boss Andy Miller. The topic suggested an attempted bargaining deal and involved Bowen’s recruitment and then-Hoosiers Thomas Bryant and OG Anunoby.

Frank Martin defended P.J. Dozier and Chuck Martin and how he runs the Carolina program.

“Am I perfect? No,” Martin said. “Have I made mistakes? Yes. But I conduct business the right way.”

Dozier, who’s thought to be one of the unnamed South Carolina players connected to former USC assistant Lamont Evans from FBI report in September, left early for the NBA draft after last season. He’s currently a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s organization.

Both Dozier’s father, Perry, and uncleTerry played for the Gamecocks in the late 1980s. Martin called the Dozier family “unbelievable.”

“What that family’s done for this school and what this school’s done for that family,” Martin said, “I would be shocked if they would do anything that would go against the integrity, the values that (USC athletics director) Ray Tanner, (president) Harris Pastides and this university stand for. I would be shocked or else he wouldn’t have come to school here.”

Martin noted that the alleged money Dozier accepted wasn’t included on the attached documents Yahoo provided in the report.

“Because they know it firsthand,” Martin said, “I’m sure P.J.’s going to have his moment where he speaks publicly on this. I can tell you he’s crushed that his name’s been drug into this nonsense. I’d be surprised.

“I’m not the investigator, but I’d be surprised if he’s in the middle of any of this..”

Chuck Martin, who was hired by USC in July, is a “good man,” according to Frank Martin, and exchanges between assistant coaches and agents is not an unusual trend in college basketball.

“Chuck’s not in the middle of this in any way, shape or form,” Frank Martin said. “I don’t care what’s reported.”

Martin’s Gamecocks (15-14, 6-10 SEC) host LSU (16-12, 7-9) on Wednesday as graduate transfer guards Frank Booker and Wes Myers will play their final home game at Colonial Life Arena.

Season No. 6 for Martin in Columbia is nearing its end.

“I sleep like a baby every night based on how I run my office and the people that I have around me,” Martin said. “I sleep like a baby every single night. Am I perfect? No. Anyone that tells you that every head coach knows everything that happens in your program, that’s wrong.”

This story was originally published February 26, 2018 at 11:32 AM with the headline "Frank Martin: ‘I’m telling you, we’re clean’."