In the sneaker business, the feet of professional athletes are the most valuable billboards in the world. The company that gets its shoes on the best basketball players, football players and soccer players wins, because those athletes’ footwear choices have outsize influence over everyone else’s purchasing decisions.

That fundamental truth about high tops and cleats — that getting top players in your brand and keeping them there is good business — was the subtext of a critical piece of a corruption and bribery network outlined on Tuesday by federal prosecutors, which swiftly resulted in the demise of a Hall of Fame coach’s career.

The University of Louisville announced on Wednesday that it had abruptly ended the coaching tenure of Rick Pitino, winner of two national championships and among the most successful coaches in college basketball history. The decision was made a day after the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York said in a criminal complaint that two coaches had been part of a scheme to funnel money from the university’s apparel partner, Adidas, to two high school prospects.

The complaint, which accused an Adidas executive and others of wire fraud and money laundering, did not disclose the names of anyone at Louisville. Pitino denied any knowledge or responsibility for the accusations. “These allegations come as a complete shock to me,” he said in a statement. A representative for Adidas said that the company “is committed to compliance and ethical business practices,” and that the executive had been put on administrative leave.