The college basketball corruption trial began on Tuesday with opening arguments in which Jim Gatto's attorney Casey Donnelly said she had evidence that schools made payments to recruit athletes, Yahoo Sports columnist Dan Wetzel reported.
According to Wetzel, Donnelly acknowledged that Gatto had committed several NCAA violations, but that evidence would prove that Oregon offered "an astronomical amount of money" to land former five-star recruit Brian Bowen Jr.. It has previously been reported that Gatto paid Bowen Jr.'s family $100,000 to attend Louisville. Donnelly claims the deal was made to "level the playing field."
"Jim Gatto broke NCAA rules," Donnelly said.