Two Kentucky basketball players were ruled temporarily ineligible after free training

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Two University of Kentucky men's basketball players were temporarily declared ineligible for accepting free training sessions over the summer, according to a recent self-reported NCAA violation.

The violation, dated Feb. 1, 2018, and obtained by Courier Journal through the state’s open records law, reveals two basketball players worked for free with former Louisville player Chris Brickley, a popular personal trainer for NBA stars, for two weeks during summer vacation. A member of the NCAA enforcement development staff emailed UK’s compliance office with links to online posts about the student-athletes working out with Brickley.

The names of the two players are redacted from UK’s self-reported violation, but the description of the violation notes both players live in the New York City metro area. Freshman forward Nick Richards and redshirt freshman guard Hamidou Diallo, the two players matching that description on UK’s roster, were shown working out with Brickley in Instagram posts from August, the timeframe the violation occurred, according to documents provided by UK.

According to UK’s description of the violation, one player worked with Brickley five times and the other participated in eight training sessions in the period between Aug. 3 and Aug. 21, 2017. Players also participated in pick-up games with other NBA and college players.

NCAA rules allow athletes to work out with personal trainers if their school did not arrange the workout or receive reports back on it, no institutional facilities are used and the athlete pays the “going rate” for such services. However, Brickley, who informed UK he is not affiliated with any agent, reported he does not charge amateur athletes for his services. Brickley told UK “there is no agreement with amateur players for future services if he trains them at no cost now.”

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Since graduating from Louisville in 2010, Brickley has become one of basketball’s most influential trainers, working with NBA stars like Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Chris Paul and LeBron James.

In a September story from TheUndefeated.com, Brickley referred to himself not as a trainer but as a “basketball influencer.”

“There’s a million trainers that have NBA guys,” he said. “That’s the reality of it. I don’t feel like I have competition because I don’t think I’m a trainer. These guys look at me as someone who can help them on a day-to-day, help them with basketball, help them with (life).”

Since Brickley did not charge any amateur athletes, UK submitted an official rule interpretation to the NCAA, which determined the student-athletes involved must still pay for the training session.

Brickley did not respond to UK’s phone calls or text messages requesting information about the standard rate he charges professionals for his services, but the NCAA enforcement staff informed the school that in similar cases local rates for training services were used to determine the amount owed. UK averaged four different training rates in Kentucky to determine an average rate of $37.75 per training session, meaning one player owed $188.75 and the other $302.

The athletes were required to pay the value of their training to a charity of their choice as restitution and declared ineligible until reinstated by the NCAA. Rules education was also provided to the entire men’s basketball team and coaching staff, and the violation was reviewed at a monthly compliance meeting for all sports.

Richards and Diallo, who are also shown working out with Brickley in Instagram posts during the holiday break in December, have appeared in all 31 games for UK this season.

Jon Hale: jahale@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @JonHale_CJ. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/jonh.