The independent commission headed by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice released its report following a seven month investigation that began after the federal Hoop-gate indictments of Adidas executive James Gatto and others. The report acknowledged that elite basketball players will almost always develop a relationship with a sports apparel company—naming Nike, Adidas and Under Armour specifically—and with a “non-scholastic” basketball team and coach. And those elite players and their families are “accustomed to being paid before they attend college,” the report acknowledges, with money that comes from companies, agents, and investment advisers.

The report came down hard on the often ... Log in to view full article.