Lance Thomas Is Very Confident He Didn’t Commit an NCAA Violation
How confident is Lance Thomas that his $97,800 jewelry purchase which included a $67,800 loan and $30,000 down payment did not violate any NCAA rules? So confident that he plans to talk to the NCAA:
“I do feel bad that that was something that is lingering around the university,” Thomas said. “But everything is going to be taken care of the right way. I hope the coaching staff and the whole university know that those were the best four years of my life and I love Duke until I die. But I have to take care of things the right way and I’ll reach back out to them when I can.”
If Thomas does end up talking to the NCAA, it will be quite the break since the jeweler who sued Thomas is not talking and the NCAA has no way to compel Thomas to be interviewed. It would be almost noble, carrying through on an obligation which has more or less passed.
Do not expect this interview to take place anytime soon though. Thomas signed a confidentiality agreement as part of the settlement of the lawsuit. The terms of that agreement will have to be sorted out before Thomas talks to the NCAA. It could also prevent him from being interviewed for a certain period of time. The statute of limitations on the violation may run out as soon as December 2013. It is entirely possible Thomas explains what happens, but the NCAA can do nothing about it.