re: Leo Lewis given money by MSU teammate's father

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The alleged payment to Lewis to attend Mississippi State might not be against NCAA bylaws

Complicating all this more is the fact that Green’s alleged payment to Lewis falls into a gray area. Under NCAA Bylaw 12 concerning amateurism, prospective student athletes are allowed to receive cash from non-family members or guardians if they can prove the relationship predates the athlete’s status as a prospective student athlete and that the relationship did not form because of the athlete’s current or potential status as a prospect.

If any payment was delivered after the athlete gained notoriety — as Lewis’ comments to the COI suggest it could have been, in his case — MSU would need proof that there is a history of payments and a relationship between Calvin Green and Lewis that began before Lewis’ status as a top football recruit in order to show that there was no violation of the NCAA bylaws.

Lewis also may not be in violation of NCAA rules if it determines that Calvin Green was providing Lewis with “normal and reasonable living expenses.” Bylaw 12.1.1.1.6 allows someone in Green’s position, “family of a teammate,” to give to a player like Lewis even if the relationship developed as a result of athletics as long as that person is not an agent or representing a school recruiting Lewis.

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