Getty Will Wade of the LSU tigers, who is under investigation and currently suspended.
Heading into their Sweet 16 matchup with Michigan State, the LSU Tigers remain without head coach Will Wade, who remains suspended in the wake of a pay for play offer caught on an FBI wiretap. Star freshman Javonte Smart is the player in question, however, he only served a single game suspension before being reinstated for his cooperation. The last missing piece, who facilitated the alleged transaction, was released in a Yahoo Sports report and is thought to be Javonte Smart’s self-proclaimed mentor Shannon Forman.
Ice cold ❄️
Will Wade Investigation & Suspension: Latest on LSU Coach, Javonte Smart
According to a Yahoo Sports Report
In a wiretapped 2017 phone call with Dawkins first reported by Yahoo Sports earlier this month, Wade makes mention of “Shannon” as the intermediary for his “strong-ass offer” for a recruit. Multiple sources have confirmed to Yahoo Sports that the reference is to Forman, who has been labeled both a trainer and coach of current LSU standout Smart — the recruit in question on the wiretap.
More than just a phone call, the Yahoo Sports report indicated that they had viewed incriminating evidence in the form of an email from 2016 featuring investigation cornerstone and aspiring agent Christian Dawkins.
An email time-stamped at 11:02 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, was sent by Dawkins to ASM Sports president Andy Miller and fellow ASM employees Andrew Vye, Gabriel Ovejas and Jessica Ruffin. In the email, Dawkins provided updates on eight players, including Smart.
“I met with … Shannon Forman, who has Javonte smart (sic). [Forman] had two kids in the elite 24 game that have a shot down the line. And he also wants to give us Brandon Sampson.”
Fellow LSU star freshman Naz Reid also happened to play in that Elite 24 showcase game although his name has not appeared in any of the information released.
At this time, Wade continues to refuse to cooperate with either the NCAA or LSU and is awaiting his upcoming testimonial in the Federal NCAA basketball corruption trial before speaking with either directly.
Who is Shannon Forman?
Forman is a major player in the Louisiana basketball scene and was a personal coach and trainer for Javonte Smart as he was coming out of high school.
A standout high school player who led his team to four consecutive state titles, Forman would wind up playing his college ball at Memphis after transferring from a community college. Forman was actually around for legendary coach John Calipari‘s first season at Memphis in which they made a run to the NIT championship in 2000-2001.
Shannon Forman also has a son who currently plays defensive line for the Arizona State Sun Devils football team