Western Michigan is withholding transfer guard Justice Williams from basketball competition “pending the result of a recent NCAA investigation of events that precede his enrollment,” the school said in a statement to on Thursday night. Williams is a player of interest in the association’s ongoing gambling investigation in college basketball, sources tell SI.
It is unclear whether Williams also is of interest in the federal probe of alleged game fixing, point shaving and performance manipulation in college basketball, or just the NCAA’s separate but concurrent inquiry. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is believed to be in the latter stages of its investigation. Last week, the Eastern District of New York announced a sweeping series of arrests and indictments which included alleged corruption at the NBA level.
Williams transferred to Western Michigan from Robert Morris, where he averaged 12.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in the 2023–24 season. The Philadelphia product sat out last season with the Colonials for what the school told SI last January was a knee injury. Robert Morris is one of the schools under scrutiny, multiple sources tell SI, though it is not one of the six the NCAA has publicly named.
Prior to Robert Morris, Williams played two seasons at LSU.
A related situation is unfolding at Eastern Kentucky, where Alabama State transfer guard Amarr Knox is being withheld from competition as well. Alabama State is a school of interest in the ongoing probes, sources say. EKU provided SI with a statement Friday:
“Amarr Knox is currently ineligible under NCAA rules to participate in games. He is practicing and traveling with the team. Knox and the University are currently working with the NCAA staff and we are hopeful for a quick resolution. The University and Knox cannot comment further at this time.”
On Sunday, Dayton men's basketball announced that it is withholding Iona transfer Adam Njie from competition due to “[eligibility] matters that occurred prior to his enrollment at the university.” The school says it was notified of the issue by the NCAA.
Sources tell SI that Njie’s situation is connected to the ongoing nationwide college investigation. It is unclear if Njie is under scrutiny from both the NCAA and federal investigators, or just the NCAA.
“In light of these concerns and the ongoing review process, Adam will not be participating in athletic competition at this time,” Dayton’s announcement said.
In September, the NCAA announced that it was investigating gambling-related infractions cases involving 13 players at six different schools. The players were not named, but their former schools were: Eastern Michigan, Temple, Arizona State, New Orleans, North Carolina A&T and Mississippi Valley State.
Last week, the NCAA announced that three former Eastern Michigan players—Jalin Billingsley, Da’Sean Nelson and Jalen Terry—committed Level I rules violations by refusing to cooperate with their investigation. The three have used up their college eligibility.
With the college season starting Monday, the NCAA is working to expedite infractions cases involving current players. Dayton opens Monday night against Canisius. Western Michigan opens the same night against Coastal Carolina.
The NBA probe exploded in the headlines last week with the arrests of 38 people, including a ring of gamblers conspiring to make wagers based on inside information. The feds also arrested a trio of current and former NBA players—Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, former player and coach Damon Jones and current Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups.
Some of the gamblers charged in connection to that scandal are suspected of attempting to fix college games as well, sources tell SIAmong those of interest are professional gamblers Shane Hennen and Marves Fairley, both of whom have extensive criminal records.
Hennen and Fairley were charged in one indictment from the Eastern District of New York with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Hennen also was charged in a second EDNY indictment with money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy relating to his role in allegedly rigging illegal poker games.
