Pac-12 Basketball

Xavier head coach Sean Miller won't face any sanctions from the NCAA's investigation into alleged recruiting violations during his time at the University of Arizona.

Per Jeff Goodman of Stadium, Miller will not be subject to NCAA discipline based on the Independent Accountability Resolution Process' ruling.

Goodman did note that Book Richardson received a 10-year show-cause penalty and Mark Phelps received a two-year show-cause penalty. Both men were assistant coaches on Miller's staff with the Wildcats.

A majority of the penalties received by the University of Arizona were self-imposed, including its one-year postseason ban during the 2020-21 season, loss of one scholarship for the 2023-24 academic year and a $5,000 fine plus one percent of the average men's basketball budget based on the average of the previous three budgets.

The only new discipline imposed by the IARP was a seven-week recruiting communication ban for the 2022-23 academic year.

Richardson was sentenced to three months in prison and two years of supervised probation in June 2019 after pleading guilty to a bribery charge.

Former assistants Tony Bland (USC) and Lamont Evans (Oklahoma State) also reached plea deals with federal prosecutors. All three men accepted bribes to steer players toward agents and financial advisors.

Former Adidas executives James Gatto, Merl Code and business manager Christian Dawkins also received prison sentences on wire fraud charges.

Miller was initially expected to testify during the trial, but United States District Court Judge Edgardo Ramos ruled in April 2019 the question of whether or not Miller paid his players was "irrelevant" to the case involving Richardson.

The University of Arizona fired Miller in April 2021, with athletic director Dave Heeke saying in a statement they were "evaluating the overall position of the program, and that includes on-court and off-court elements."

After sitting out the 2021-22 season, Miller was hired at Xavier in March. He returned to the school after previously serving as head coach for the Musketeers from 2004 to 2009.

Marcus Bagley has appeared in just two of Arizona State's seven games this season, and the forward apparently cost himself some more playing time by explaining the situation on social media.

On Sunday, Bagley tweeted that he wasn't playing because he "made a mistake and said some things to Coach [Bobby] Hurley that I shouldn't have said. Me not playing is 100% punishment for what I said that day."

He then provided an update Tuesday and said he was suspended for that tweet:

Hurley addressed the situation prior to Bagley's latest update during an appearance on Arizona Sports' Bickley & Marotta.

"I think it's a byproduct of other guys playing well and just not having the opportunity to get him out on the floor," Hurley said while revealing he planned to discuss the situation with the player. "That's all it comes down to. ... We have a stacked perimeter and right now there's just no minutes for him."

The junior played against Tarleton State on Nov. 7 and Northern Arizona on Nov. 10, averaging 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 28.5 minutes per game. He also connected on 33.3 percent of his three-point attempts.

Bagley, who is the younger brother of Detroit Pistons forward Marvin Bagley III, appeared to be well on his way to playing major minutes this season considering those were the first two games but then didn't step on the floor at all in any of the next five.

It is notable that he explained he is healthy because injury concerns limited him to just 15 games during his first two seasons. He arrived at Arizona State as a highly regarded 4-star prospect in the class of 2020, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

There may be some regrets regarding his decision as a recruit at this point considering he also tweeted: "ATHLETES please please please make a well thought through decision where you go to school. These people will tell you anything to build you up just to tear you down."

While Bagley has not been a major contributor, Arizona State is off to a 6-1 start and counts a win over Michigan on its early resume.

Next up for the Sun Devils is their Pac-12 opener against Colorado on Thursday. They are attempting to make the NCAA men's tournament for the first time since the 2018-19 campaign, which was Hurley's fourth season as the head coach.

Class of 2023 5-star point guard Isaiah Collier committed to USC on Wednesday via Instagram Live.

Collier chose the Trojans over Cincinnati, UCLA and Michigan, which were also considered finalists to land him.

A 6'3", 190-pound point guard from Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia, Collier is ranked as the No. 1 player at his position and No. 4 overall, according to the 247Sports' composite rankings.

Collier is a solid two-way talent who enjoys playing at a high pace.

247Sports recruiting analyst Brandon Jenkins describes him as "an athletic throwback-style point guard who has made strong impressions with his toughness and exceptional vision as a passer. A playmaker with a wealth of tools to work with, Collier is one of the best in his class in his ability to make the assist."

While he is an impressive prospect, he's not yet a polished player. He still needs to develop consistency as a shooter and work on the mechanics of his jump shot. However, his playmaking and defensive effort set him apart from the rest of the point guard prospects.

Collier is USC's first 5-star recruit in the 2023 class but joins 4-stars Arrinten Page and Silas Demary Jr. to form an exciting group under head coach Andy Enfield. He will likely have a spot in the starting lineup waiting for him as soon as he steps on campus next year.

Juju Watkins, the top-ranked women's high school player in the class of 2023, announced her intention to play at USC on Tuesday.

The Sierra Canyon guard is California's Gatorade Girls Basketball Player of the Year and the top player in her class, per ESPN. She chose the Trojans over fellow finalists Stanford and South Carolina.

"I didn't want to rush this process," Watkins said, per Charlotte Gibson of ESPN. "A lot of people in my class had already committed before me, and I definitely was taking my time. But I want to make sure it was 1,000 percent where I wanted to go."

Watkins grew up just 10 minutes from the USC campus, so familiarity likely played a role in the Los Angeles native's decision to play for head coach Lindsay Gottlieb. Landing the top player in the 2023 class is a boon for Gottlieb, whose Trojans finished 12-16 in her first year with the program.

Watkins is just the third top-10 player in ESPN's rankings to sign with USC since 2007, as the program has largely taken a back seat on campus behind football and men's basketball. The arrival of the most dominant prep player in the nation should change the narrative, as Watkins has all the tools to make USC a Final Four team.

USC's women's basketball program was among the nation's best during the 1980s before struggling over the last three-plus decades. The Trojans have made the NCAA tournament just once in the last 15 years and have not reached the second week of the tournament since 1993-94.

Watkins' arrival might spark a much-desired turnaround. She will be joined in the 2023 class by promising point guard Malia Samuels, giving Gottlieb the building blocks of a stellar backcourt for years to come.

Tad Boyle has landed Colorado its first 5-star recruit in at least a decade.

Forward Cody Williams announced his commitment to the Buffaloes on Monday, choosing Boyle's program over a hard push from LSU.

"The program and the players are very connected, and they have built a great culture," Williams told ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Paul Biancardi. "I see myself as part of it. I love the staff and Coach Boyle. When Coach Boyle tells you something, you know it is the truth whether it's on or off the court. It is to help you. He is a very genuine person."

Williams is the No. 23 prospect in the 2023 recruiting class and the fifth-ranked small forward, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He's the younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder first-round pick Jalen Williams and arguably comes with a higher ceiling.

Gifted with elite length at 6'8" and athletic fluidity, Williams has the potential to be the best defensive player in his class. He's still very much a work in progress on the offensive end—particularly as a shooter—but his ability to create for himself off the dribble and finish at the rim will give him some leeway as his shot develops.

"I love defense," Williams said. "I am focusing on my defense because most do not give it enough attention. My brother is now getting playing time because he has committed himself to guarding, switching and rebounding."

Landing Williams is nothing short of a massive win for Boyle, who is in his 13th season at Colorado. The program has never come close to landing a prospect of Williams' caliber before, with 2012 forward Josh Scott being the previous top recruit signed under Boyle.

Williams is joined by 3-star shooting guard Courtney Anderson among players in the Buffaloes' 2023 class.

Basketball Hall of Famer, UCLA legend and ESPN color commentator Bill Walton hopes his alma mater's impending move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten in 2024 will be "rescinded."

Longtime Oregon sports columnist and commentator John Canzano reached out to Walton on the matter, and he responded four months later with a written statement expressing his strong feelings.

Of note, Walton said that the move will have a negative impact on the physical and mental health of UCLA student-athletes, citing the "exponential increase" in travel to face Big Ten teams.

USC will join UCLA in the Big Ten, making Nebraska their closest conference rival otherwise at roughly 1,500 miles away.

The Big Ten conference stretches as far west as Nebraska and as far east as Rutgers in New Jersey.

Walton also noted the negative impact on travel for family, friends, fans and alumni.

In addition, the 69-year-old said that the move would run counter to UCLA and the UC system's "professed environmental sustainability goals" and that it would also have a negative impact on a fellow UC school and Pac-12 team in Berkeley.

He also said that "increased costs of joining the Big Ten" would "negate the projected increased revenue assumptions of this proposed move."

Walton also cited the rest of the teams and student-athletes (outside football), wondering how many of them were "represented and willing participants in this proposed deal."

"This proposed move to the Big Ten, is all about football, and money," Walton wrote.

"What about all the other 24 sports and 600-plus student-athletes at UCLA, who are responsible for 99-plus percent of UCLA's national championships?"

The California native starred at UCLA from 1971-74, winning three straight National Player of the Year awards and two national titles under legendary head coach John Wooden. The 1971-72 and 1972-73 teams both went 30-0.

Former UCLA forward Jalen Hill has died at the age of 22.

Josh Giles, Hill's former head coach at Corona Centennial High, confirmed the news to Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times.

According to Bolch, Hill's family wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday that he died after going missing in Costa Rica.

"We know Jalen has played a part in the lives of so many people," the family's Instagram post said. "We also acknowledge the role that so many of you have played in his. As we try to navigate this devastating time in our lives, we ask that you please give us time to grieve. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers."

UCLA head coach Mick Cronin provided a statement to Bolch: "The news of Jalen Hill’s passing is heartbreaking. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time. Jalen was a warm-hearted young man with a great smile who has left us far too soon."

Hill was a 247Sports 4-star prospect coming out of Corona Centennial High School in 2017. He committed to UCLA in 2015, two years before graduating high school.

The California native only appeared in 14 games as a redshirt junior in 2020-21. He left the program midway through the season.

In a video message posted on Instagram in April 2021 (h/t USA Today's Steve Gardner), Hill revealed he stopped playing basketball due to "a bunch of anxiety and depression problems" and feeling pressure "trying to live up to somebody’s perception of how my life should be instead of just being who I am."

According to Bolch, Hill recently said he "adopted measures to help his mental state such as meditation and being open about his troubles with family and friends."

After not playing in his first season with the Bruins, Hill played a key role primarily off the bench in 2018-19. He averaged 4.3 points and ranked second on the team with 6.0 rebounds per game in 30 appearances.

Hill started a career-high 25 games during the 2019-20 campaign. He led the Bruins in rebounding (6.9 per game) and ranked second in scoring (9.0).

The Oregon Ducks men's basketball team may be appointment viewing during the 2023-24 season.

According to Jamie Shaw of On3 Sports, Oregon, Ohio State and USC are the three known schools to be recruiting Bronny James. He estimated that the Ducks had a 50 percent chance of landing LeBron James' son, while the other two programs each have a 25 percent chance.

"We are told James is going to go through the process," Shaw wrote. "At this point, the plan is to take virtual visits, Zooms, and in-person visits and go through the whole experience. Sources tell us that at this point, Oregon has a lead and that James will end up in Eugene."

The first connection that comes to mind with James and Oregon revolves around Nike. After all, LeBron signed a lifetime deal with the brand, and Phil Knight, who is the company's chairman, went to school at Oregon.

However, Shaw noted the younger James has a "comfort" with the program. It also doesn't hurt that Mookie Cook, who was travel teammates with Bronny in middle school, is part of the Ducks' loaded 2023 recruiting class.

That class already has Cook, who is a 5-star small forward, as well as 5-star power forward Kwame Evans Jr. and 4-star point guard Jackson Shelstad, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

It is currently the sixth-rated class and notably behind another contender in Ohio State (fourth), but adding James would certainly help it climb. James is a 4-star prospect and the No. 43 overall player, No. 7 shooting guard and No. 12 player from the state of California in the 2023 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

That is not to say this is a done deal.

USC is close to Sierra Canyon, where James attends high school. Former high school teammate Kijani Wright is also on the Trojans' roster.

As for Ohio State, the James family is from Ohio, and LeBron consistently supports the Buckeyes, be it by attending football games or shouting them out on Twitter. As Shaw noted, he even said he would have attended Ohio State if he played collegiately.

It seems as if this recruiting process will not end in the immediate future with James set to take visits to these schools and perhaps others, but Oregon apparently has the inside track for now.

Pac-12 athletes will have a new revenue stream in 2022-23, with the conference allowing players to monetize their name, image and likeness through game highlights.

According to Paolo Uggetti of ESPN, the Pac-12 announced an initiative with technology startup Tempus Ex Machina that will create customized highlights for football, men's basketball and women's basketball players after games. The student-athletes can tweet out their highlights, with Twitter's Amplify selling advertising.

The athletes will then be paid based on the advertising money, which could be determined by the amount of views and retweets.

Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff discussed the new initiative in a statement:

The Pac-12 is committed to providing our student-athletes with best-in-class technology, tools and promotional platforms that support their individual brands. Our partnership with Tempus Ex is focused on enhancing our student-athlete and fan experiences, and today's announcement is another important step in positioning the Pac-12 as a leader when it comes to student-athlete promotion and brand building.

These efforts could further help Pac-12 programs in recruiting after the league has fallen short in recent years.

No Pac-12 team finished in the top 10 in the 2022 football recruiting rankings, per 247Sports, while only USC landed in the top 10 in men's basketball recruiting rankings.

There are several elite Pac-12 players who should be able to capitalize on their highlights.

Utah quarterback Cameron Rising could be a first-round draft pick in 2023, while USC's Caleb Williams is considered a Heisman Trophy contender after transferring from Oklahoma. Williams also has over 59,000 followers on Twitter.

In men's basketball, the conference returns some proven players like UCLA's Jaime Jaquez Jr., Arizona's Azuolas Tubelis and Oregon's Will Richardson while adding high-upside freshmen in UCLA's Amari Bailey, Oregon's Kel'el Ware and USC's Vince Iwuchukwu.

Stanford's Haley Jones returns as one of the top players in women's basketball next season.

It could lead to big returns for the elite talent in the conference.