NCAA punishes Indiana coach Sampson for recruiting infractions

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA banned new Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson from calling recruits and visiting them off-campus for one year Thursday, ruling he deliberately broke its rules by making extra phone calls to potential players while coaching Oklahoma.

The decision, announced by the infractions committee, also requires Indiana to adopt the restrictions Oklahoma placed on Sampson, which includes being denied performance bonuses this season.

"This case is a result of the former head coach's complete disregard for NCAA guidelines for proper telephone contacts with recruits," committee chairman Thomas Yeager said.

The seven-contract Sampson signed with Indiana on April 20 said the school could fire him if the NCAA imposed significant penalties. Indiana said it did not intend to appeal the ruling and would not change its decision to hire Sampson, a former Washington State coach.

"I have learned an invaluable lesson, and I hope that this reinforces to other coaches the importance of every aspect of NCAA compliance," Sampson said.

There was good news in the report for Washington assistant Jim Shaw, who worked at Oklahoma from 2000 to 2004 and was identified as one of three assistants who, along with Sampson, made 577 impermissible phone calls.

The NCAA decided not to penalize Shaw further, accepting penalties Washington enforced on Shaw after learning of the investigation. Those penalties included a ban on recruiting for a month, a ban on phone calls for the entire UW coaching staff for 10 days and a cut in paid visits from 12 to 11. All of those penalties were served last year.

The NCAA extended Oklahoma's self-imposed probation for an additional 11 months. Oklahoma said it would not appeal.

Note

• Memphis forward Shawne Williams will enter the NBA draft.

Seattle Times reporter Bob Condotta contributed to this report.