Cedquavious “Dae Dae” Hunter admitted to shaving points when he played college basketball for New Orleans.
Hunter told "Good Morning America" on Monday: "I had a child, and the school wasn’t paying me money. So, I was trying to get money to actually take care of my child."
Key Takeaways
- The NCAA identified three players from New Orleans who were involved in point-shaving schemes.
- Investigators discovered texts between Hunter and teammate Dyquavian Short where they discussed receiving $5,000 in cash.
- The NCAA identified two other schools, Mississippi Valley State and Arizona State, that were involved in separate game-fixing schemes.
Hunter lost his eligibility earlier in November after NCAA investigators identified him as one of several players involved in point-shaving schemes. Hunter admitted he lied to the NCAA during the initial investigation, saying, “I was trying to lie because I thought I was going to get my way out of it.”
Hunter and two teammates, however, left a trail of evidence. Investigators found texts between Hunter and teammate Dyquavion Short where they discussed going shopping with $5,000 they received. Phone logs and FaceTime calls also tied the student-athletes to a bettor known by sportsbook operators. Teammate Jamond Vincent was also implicated in the scheme.
'It's Time'
The NCAA identified seven games last season where Hunter, Short, and Vincent manipulated their play to affect outcomes. Hunter said during a game, they would tell each other, “It’s time,” when they needed to start altering their play.
Hunter finished his interview by sharing what he would tell his child one day. “Don’t do what Daddy did. Don’t follow my steps and don’t do the same thing I did. Don’t make the mistake I made.”
Sports betting scandals have been prevalent this year - both at the collegiate and professional levels. In September, the NCAA announced 13 student athletes from six schools were under investigation for alleged sports betting violations. In October, a group that included NBA coaches and a player was indicted on charges relating to sports betting violations.
While the NCAA and federal investigations are unrelated, their headlines are motivating a review of the types of bets featured by sportsbooks. Major sports leagues have begun working with sportsbooks to limit the kind of bets that are more vulnerable to manipulation.
Last week, the NFL sent a letter to team officials describing its work with state lawmakers, regulators, and sportsbooks to limit player prop bets. MLB recently reached an agreement with roughly 20 sportsbooks on a $200 bet limit for pitch-level markets after two Cleveland Guardians pitchers were indicted for rigging bets on thrown pitches.
Meanwhile, the NCAA has been working to eliminate or limit player prop bets in college sports. Earlier this year, the NCAA started requiring sportsbooks to drop negative prop bets in order to receive real-time stats from Genius Sports - the NCAA’s exclusive data provider - for March Madness and other championship events.
