'Outside The Lines' on package deals

ESPN's "Outside The Lines" on Sunday will feature a report on so-called package deals in college basketball — the hiring by colleges of relatives, coaches and acquaintances of recruited players in return for signing those players. Specifically, the network reports that the NCAA is looking into an arrangement involving Southern California and Daniel Hackett, its starting point guard, whose tuition is being paid even though he is not on athletic scholarship.

In 2005, USC hired Rudy Hackett* as strength-and-conditioning manager, and one year later his son committed to the Trojans, according to an ESPN release on "Outside The Lines." Because Rudy is a university employee, his son gets free tuition, and since he is considered a walk-on, USC does not have to use one of its 13 scholarships allowed by the NCAA.

The program will air at 9 a.m. Sunday on ESPN and at noon on ESPNews. There has been widespread speculation that Baylor hired John Wall's summer coach, Dwon Clifton, as director of player development to lure the Word of God senior point guard. In an in-depth News & Observer report about Wall, Clifton's brother, Brian, who directs the D-One Sports summer program, denied that any such arrangement has been made.

The "Outside The Lines" program also addresses Wall's situation. Here's a video excerpt of the ESPN report. 

*Trivia note: Rudy Hackett, 55, is the former Syracuse power forward who led the Orangemen to an East Regional upset of North Carolina on the way to the 1975 Final Four.