How will NCAA allegations affect Kansas basketball next season?

Today has not been a good day for Kansas basketball. Per the Kansas City Star, the Jayhawks will be facing multiple major rule violation allegations by the NCAA that could derail Kansas in its upcoming season.

This offseason has been a rollercoaster for Kansas basketball. From losing Quentin Grimes and the R.J. Hampton saga to the unexpected return of Udoka Azubuike and reinstatement of Silvio De Sousa, it looked like things couldn’t get much crazier.

Then the news broke:

"“The NCAA is preparing to issue a notice of allegations that details multiple major violations in the Kansas men’s basketball program.” – Kansas City Star"

Just when Kansas basketball thought the Billy Preston and Silvio De Sousa situations were in the past, the NCAA decided to make its allegations. But what do the “allegations” actually mean for Kansas, both in the short and long term?

The Jayhawks could be facing serious punishment if the NCAA decides to drop the hammer. The possible sanctions cited in the KC Star article are level one, or the most severe variety; think postseason bans, vacating wins, etc.

Right now, it’s important to remember that these are simply allegations. The NCAA has already cleared Silvio De Sousa; however, the fact that Adidas associate T.J. Gassnola had contact with Bill Self and other assistants during the recruitment of Desousa isn’t good.

Gassnola was given probation after testifying that he gave the guardian of De Sousa $2,500, and $90,000 to the mother of Billy Preston for Adidas.

While that all may sound quite damning, there is a silver lining: Gassnola also said that Bill Self had no knowledge of the payments.

What does all this mean next season? So far, Kansas has already had one major repercussion from the allegations: the departure of four-star freshman Issac McBride. Just a few hours after the news broke, McBride tweeted that he’d be leaving Kansas:

Possibly the best-case scenario for Kansas would either be loss of scholarships or even vacating 2018 Final Four and other wins. While that may set some Jayhawks fans off, consider this: would you rather lose this season, or lose a tiny percentage of the accolades Kansas has acquired over the years?

The Jayhawks have a chance to be special this year, as they’re currently ranked number two in Andy Katz’s preseason Power 36 rankings. Having a good shot at a national title sounds like a fair trade for a Final Four, not to mention, Kansas would be in the clear as far as the NCAA is concerned.

No matter how you slice it, this doesn’t look good for Kansas basketball. The timing of the NCAA to announce the allegations is especially brutal for the program. Once Kansas receives the formal allegations, they’ll have 90 days to respond and begin the hearing process.

This next basketball season could be a tumultuous one, as the Jayhawks will have the NCAA to contend with during the season. It’s a shame that it had to happen, but there’s not a lot Kansas can do at this point other than hope for the best.