ESPN Men's Basketball

ESPN college basketball insider Jeff Goodman breaks down when he expects North Carolina guard P.J. Hairston to play this season.

1. Former Oregon coach Ernie Kent was hired in an executive role with the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Kent said Monday his goal is to grow the game, about which he said has been "very passionate since he was out of coaching." He said he has seen how much coaches care about student-athlete welfare from visiting schools since he has been out. But this organization needs to be much more forceful in the legislative process. The NABC has lost its activist role of late. The coaches should never be surprised by the draft date (pushed through by the ACC) or complain about the transfer waiver issue as much as they do without really trying to affect change. Coaches have the power in college basketball, much more so than the players. If they want to really force an issue then they must get out front, educate other decision makers and make sure they can actually do something. The governance structure is going to change, with more weight given to the power schools. That shift is coming. So the coaches, who are their best lobbying group, must almost act like legislators. Not knowing about the shift in rules that affect them is ignorant. It should never happen. If Kent is going to have a real effect in his job, then he must act.

2. North Carolina said Monday that P.J. Hairston's status hasn't changed. That means he's still suspended. But the school also must make clear if he can practice or play in anything competitive. Practice starts Friday. This shouldn't take long. Either he is practicing Friday and beyond or he is not. The length of any discipline is up to North Carolina. No one should tell them how long or if he should be suspended. But the fan base and those who contribute to the program should know his status. That is of the public domain. Once that is known, then Hairston and the Tar Heels can move forward with the season.

3. Indiana starts an intriguing season Friday, the one post-Big Ten title and Sweet 16 appearance. The anchors, Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller are gone. So what is Tom Crean looking for in the first week of practice? "Getting this team to understand that transition and help defense require great effort and talking," Crean said. "Also getting the team to understand the next play, the next pass and the next-shot mentality over worrying about the last play."

In high school, I flipped multiple times in my friend’s SUV after a bunch of teenagers thought it would be a good idea to punch the gas on a slick Milwaukee road. We weren’t wearing seatbelts, either.

A few years later, I topped 100 mph with another buddy simply because we wanted to know what it would feel like to hit 100 mph on the freeway.

During college, I piled into a small vehicle with seven other people, even though we knew the driver was completely drunk.

In all of those situations, we could have killed ourselves or someone else.

I don’t want this column to read as though it’s coming from the Pulpit of the Saintly Sportswriter. Because it’s not.

North Carolina star P.J. Hairston has made some dumb decisions. I have too.

But it doesn’t excuse the behavior or end the jeopardy surrounding his future. And it doesn’t minimize the severity of his decisions or mine.

On Sunday, Hairston was suspended indefinitely after being cited for reckless driving near Salisbury, N.C. The team’s leading scorer reportedly hit 93 mph in a 65 mph zone.

He could have killed himself, or someone else.

That was only the latest in a series of incidents that include a June arrest for marijuana possession and driving without a license. A gun was recovered near the vehicle.

But the charges against Hairston were dropped in that case. Still, the university may have to deal with an NCAA investigation because the car Hairston was driving was reportedly rented by convicted felon Haydn Patrick "Fats" Thomas.

The junior wing was also cited for speeding in May.

There’s a mess in Chapel Hill. And Hairston is responsible for it.

Hairston, who led the program in scoring with 14.6 PPG last season, chose to play a third season for the Tar Heels after considering the NBA draft. At the time, he said he returned because he wanted to “support” Roy Williams.

"I have spent a lot of time with my family over the past couple of days discussing school and my future and I have decided to return to the University of North Carolina for my junior year," said Hairston, per the school’s website. "I value the experiences I have had over the past two years in Chapel Hill, and hope to continue to grow under Coach Roy's guidance. Coach always says 'When you focus on the team during the season, I will support you in the off-season.' This is my way of supporting coach, my teammates and the Tar Heel community. Go Heels!"

Hairston has betrayed Williams, his teammates and the Tar Heel community with this stretch of drama.

Any punishment seems justifiable right now.

Should he be kicked off the team? If he had hit another vehicle on Sunday and seriously injured or killed someone, we wouldn’t even pose the question.

Should he be suspended for the season? The semester? 15 games? Five? That’s up to Williams.

But Williams, who promised severe consequences for Hairston after last month’s arrest, will probably be supported regardless of the punitive measure he chooses.

The last thing any coach needs is a distraction on a team packed with youth, especially if a veteran is responsible for that distraction.

It’s a difficult situation, however, for Williams and other coaches. The “what could have happened” is not “what actually happened.”

Hairston and the other motorists in his vicinity on Sunday were not harmed. Fortunately. And who knows the full truth behind that traffic stop in Durham last month, but charges against Hairston were dropped.

The court of public opinion -- see Twitter -- recommends excommunication from Tar Heels basketball.

And, as I mentioned earlier, Williams has that right.

But I don’t think that’s the proper choice.

I think Hairston needs Tar Heels basketball for reasons beyond basketball.

In the past two months, he’s become a second-round NBA prospect with red flags. This latest event might have cost Hairston millions in earning potential and his professional future.

That NBA dream was simply deferred when he decided to return for his junior season. Now, it might be dead.

If he really came back to “support” Williams and boost Tar Heels basketball, he can prove it now.

It’s time for the standout to drop the ego and do whatever it takes to regain Williams’ trust, if he’s granted that opportunity. It’s time for Hairston to forget about basketball and consider his livelihood. It’s time for Hairston to prove to his teammates that he’s learned from his mistakes.

A lengthy suspension -- barring any additional problems -- would be sufficient. Lengthy could mean 10 games. Could be 15 or even more. Doesn’t matter.

Basketball is secondary.

Whatever it takes to get Hairston’s life back on track. Whatever it takes for Williams to believe in him again.

Perhaps Williams will give Hairston that chance. Perhaps he won’t. He doesn’t have to.

And Hairston has to accept either outcome. He did this to himself.

Hairston’s antics suggest that he’s embraced this fictitious idea of invincibility that often dooms young men on grand stages.

Just a little faster. Just a few puffs. Just one more drink. Just one last party.

A lot of college kids -- grown people, too -- make poor choices every day.

Sometimes we get caught. Sometimes we don’t.

Hairston, however, has to realize that a suspension or jail time could be the least of his worries if he runs (or drives) into more trouble.

He could be eternally sidelined in a cemetery if he’s not careful.

1. North Carolina landed a polite, respectful and highly talented player in Joel Berry -- for the class of 2014. That's the impression I had after watching and interviewing Berry during the AAU tournament in Orlando last week. The problem for the Tar Heels is that Berry, a point guard who can team up with Marcus Paige in 2014-15, won't be on campus for a year. The Tar Heels could use Berry now instead of P.J. Hairston, regardless that they don't play the same position. Berry was mature and confident in himself in why he wanted to attend North Carolina. He talked about his respect for the program and admiration for the staff. Clearly, Hairston doesn't have the same feelings after following up a dropped misdemeanor marijuana charge by getting pulled over for reckless driving. That stop came nine days after the marijuana charge was dismissed. Seriously? North Carolina hadn't made up its mind about whether to suspend Hairston prior to Sunday's situation. The Tar Heels have now. The Carolina image is sacred to those in Chapel Hill and the alumni living elsewhere. Hairston abused his privileges and continued to disrespect the program he was supposed to serve. He should listen to the sage words of someone younger like Berry. Who knows when or if Hairston will return to the team this coming season. But the Tar Heels can survive without his scoring or the chaos that is now constantly surrounding him. He is not the program. The program is and will be much bigger than characters like him.

2. New Celtics coach Brad Stevens made a terrific staff hire in adding Ronald Nored to the development team. Nored had just been hired in the spring at South Alabama by former Butler assistant Matthew Graves after Nored had coached high school for a year. Over the course of 23 years you'll meet countless players. Nored was one of those people who impressed from the first interview. He was destined to be a coach and commanded respect by his work ethic and attention to detail. He will earn the Celtics players' respect by working with them and not attempting to talk down to them. He may not have played in the NBA, but he'll sponge up as much knowledge on the professional game as quickly and professionally as possible. Stevens doesn't choose people lightly. Nored will fit in perfectly into the Celtics' culture and adhere to their values under Stevens.

3. Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said the Shockers picked up two home-and-home series following the Final Four: against Alabama and Saint Louis, with both of them starting on the road. The Shockers will also continue a series with Tulsa, play Western Kentucky on the ESPN Marathon and are the featured team in the CBE Classic in Kansas City with BYU, Texas and DePaul. As you can see, the Final Four didn't produce home games for the Shockers. The Tennessee home game -- a quality affair for Wichita State -- is a return game from last season and prior to the Final Four. The Shockers, who return the core of the Final Four team, will be the pick to win the Missouri Valley and are a Top 25-type team to start the season. Marshall said he's had to get the players to dial it back a bit in practice lately, saying that they're working too hard. He said they believe they will be good and they should. They will. But once again a Final Four hardly guarantees a great home schedule the ensuing year -- especially if you're not in a power conference.

One of the most fascinating side stories during this summer of UNC discontent -- from P.J. Hairston's rental car paper trail to the ongoing scrutiny over an academics scandal that was supposed to be long past the university by now -- is the intense involvement of opposing fans.

NC State die-hards, most notably those at the PackPride message board forums, have been all over it. They started a crowdsourced dig for incriminating evidence in the Hairston case long before receipts linking other rentals with the address of convicted felon Haydn "Fats" Thomas surfaced in the USA Today. Some of what they found was easily dismissed, but some of it genuinely deserved wider scrutiny, and now here we are.

Of course, North Carolina fans have been just as strident in their program's defense. Where Wolfpack fans see a massive conspiratorial cover-up that reaches the upper limits of state government (specifically as it pertains to the academic case, but I saw this argument made when charges against Hairston were dropped), North Carolina fans see a witchhunt conducted by "haters" and "little brothers" that at best exaggerates some otherwise very concerning issues, and at worst invents them from whole cloth, because "they're jealous."

On a personal level, I can't remember the last time I got as many emails about a team from fans who openly root for a rival. My inbox is not a perfect sample, and that is always true of the Internet in general. Many reasonable UNC fans are willing to acknowledge their embarrassment while pointing out what they see as flaws in some accusations. And many NC State fans who take pleasure in the furor would nonetheless prefer their investigatorial comrades didn't make the whole group look so crazy. Alas, the reasonable folks are always drowned out by the vocal minority, and so the inbox keeps filling up, the comment sections keep looking like political news sites, and the White House petitions keep going from silly ideas to genuine realities.

Wait ... White House petition? Huh? Oh yes, dear reader. That actually happened. Titled "Investigate the fraud and misuse of federal funds involving athletics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill," the petition asserts that because UNC has received federal funding for research while also battling an academics scandal in its Afro- and African-American studies department, that a "comprehensive investigation is required to ensure that federal funds are not being misused."

Thus far, the petition has 86 signatures. To receive an official response from the White House, it must accumulate at least 100,000 signees. Only 99,914 to go!

This is all quite hilarious and silly, of course, so silly that you don't need me to explain why. Sports fans never cease to amaze, though. We're always good for a laugh.

That said, I also find the context inspiring. When I visited the forum thread the petition initially grew out of, I expected to read a chorus of approval. Fight the power, go get 'em, all that.

Instead, most posters hated it. "This is a joke, right," asked one. "What the [heck] is wrong with you people? You've finally let [them] push you over the edge," said another. "This is either a very nice troll by the cheats or we have some delusional fans. Please delete. It's embarrassing," pleaded a third. Probably the best response came from a poster who merely left the words "You people" and a little animation of an adorable red-faced smiley banging its head against a tiny wall.

Hope for humanity lives on in these responses. Even among the small sliver of folks who might be most obviously supportive of something like this, there is widespread derision. No one wants to be painted as a bunch of crazies, and everyone recognizes there are limits. Likewise, some of the best comments I've read from North Carolina fans have admitted that the academic scandal was embarrassing, that the Hairston stuff is troubling, and that too-strenuous defenses of any of it risk making the whole fan base look dismissive and blinkered -- a pasting over of flaws with a giant sticker that reads "haters."

In this spirit, I'd like to submit a humble proposal: Everyone take a deep breath. We've now officially reached peak insanity with this White House petition. There's nowhere positive to go from here. Maybe some NC State fans can acknowledge that their relationship with UNC is not exactly the most healthy, even by the typically dissociated fandom standards. Maybe UNC fans can go beyond admitting the program's issues but also recognize that, after so imperiously dominating the local basketball culture in recent years, and so thoroughly scoffing at the Wolfpack at every turn, it is only natural that rival fans would seek to hasten their downfall. Maybe everyone can come together and, instead of arguing about old emails from a faculty report about a years-old academic scandal, agree that this whole pattern is insane. Maybe everyone needs to go to their rooms and count to 100.

Honestly, I'm worried about you guys. I just want to help.

Ugly fallout from an ongoing academic scandal isn't the only bit of North Carolina news worth discussing on this fine summer Monday. The more recent and high-profile mess in Chapel Hill -- the early June arrest of star guard P.J. Hairston with two men, marijuana and a 9 mm handgun outside a GMC Yukon originally rented by a convicted felon -- took a rather major turn this past weekend, too.

As initially reported by Scout.com's Inside Carolina and confirmed by the Durham, N.C., court clerk to ESPN.com, all charges against Hairston stemming from the June 5 arrest have been dropped. Hairston faced charges of misdemeanor marijuana possession and driving without a license. According to the clerk, Hairston completed a drug assessment and provided his current driver's license to the court, after which the state decided to stop pursuing charges.

There are some tricky legal questions left over here. The first is the issue of the handgun, which police have said was found outside the vehicle at the traffic checkpoint. None of the three men in the vehicle that day (Hairston, Carlos Sanford and Miykael Faulcon) have been charged for having the handgun, reasons for which are just as uncertain as whose gun it was in the first place.* It is also not unfair to ask whether the state would have been as deferential in dropping charges were Hairston not a Tar Heels star. When you spend the morning trying to mentally navigate whether a faculty report on widespread academic scandal was changed at the last minute to elide NCAA interest, you begin to see conspiracy -- or, at best, a wink-nudge-Go-Heels -- around every corner.

But here's the real problem for UNC: Hairston's legal woes were never the main concern.

What we wrote in this space last week, when Roy Williams released a statement on Hairston's status, remains true: The biggest concern for North Carolina was not the actual legal incident itself, but the connections to Haydn "Fats" Thomas, the aforementioned convicted felon whose name and address popped in Hertz rental receipts obtained by USA Today in July. Thomas rented the GMC Yukon, but that's not all. On May 13, Hairston was arrested while driving a Chevrolet Camaro rented by Catinia Farrington, whose last known address (and the one used for the rental) matched Thomas' Durham residence on the transaction report.

Thomas has denied knowing Hairston, and insists he is neither tied to an agent nor a UNC booster, but the veracity of those claims as the NCAA will see them remains unclear. Hairston is due in court Aug. 2 to deal with the May speeding citation, and the car he was driving at the time cost Farrington and Thomas a combined total of $5,717.47 during two separate rental periods lasting from March 25 through April 15 and April 25 through June 17, as first reported by USA Today. At the time, when reached for comment, the NCAA said it did not discuss "potential investigations." It is thus unclear whether the NCAA is already actively investigating the situation. Given enforcement precedent, it would be shocking if that were not the case.

In other words, Hairston has been stopped twice on the road in recent months, and both times he was driving new model vehicles rented by someone else. The NCAA will be keen to find out exactly how that coincidence came to be, and what, if any, improper benefits may be involved.

That is the real concern for North Carolina. If charges against Hairston had not been dropped, and the Tar Heels' leading scorer faced a summer and fall full of court dates, it would have been embarrassing to Williams and his program. But a decision to either suspend Hairston or dismiss him from the team -- "serious consequences" already under consideration, as Williams has said -- could have essentially nipped those woes in the bud. The optics would have been unfortunate, but hardly uncommon, and wouldn't have lasted much longer than Williams had the stomach for.

Forget that. Charges or no charges, those cars were still rented to Thomas' address, and that's what will earn the NCAA's attention. For an athletics program already mired in three years of football mess and widespread suspicion over its role in academic scandal, the idea of an NCAA investigation into potential improper benefits provided to its star player by a well-known local felon is the real nightmare. That process would be long and arduous and unforgiving, and carries the possibility -- however remote -- of serious penalties against one of the college game's marquee programs.

Inside the strange NCAA violations enforcement bizarro bubble, whether Hairston was holding marijuana or not holding his driver's license or driving a vehicle with a firearm and ammunition onboard is almost completely ancillary -- a delivery system for something (car rentals) far less serious in the real world, but far more pertinent in the NCAA's purview. What matters is where the cars came from in the first place and why. That question remains as threatening as ever.

*(Update: The lack of a handgun-related charge almost certainly stems from North Carolina state law, where it is not illegal to carry a handgun, even without an ownership permit, provided the gun is not legally "concealed." For more information, see pages 6 and 7 of this PDF, which includes a handy explanation of the law as it governs the transportation of handguns, written by state Attorney General Roy Cooper. Thanks to less-than-polite but nonetheless helpful Twitter follower UNCDubb for the heads up.)

1. Inside Carolina first reported Monday morning that all charges against North Carolina's P.J. Hairston were dismissed on Friday, stemming from a June 5 arrest that included a misdemeanor marijuana possession. A Durham County clerk confirmed to ESPN.com that the charge was dropped, although Hairston does have a speeding ticket to be heard on Aug. 2. North Carolina coach Roy Williams issued a statement last week that there would be serious consequences for Hairston's actions but the school has been waiting for the legal process to end. Well, now it essentially has but Williams was clear that there are no games or practices in July. So, it will be interesting to see how UNC handles Hairston in the fall. He put himself in a position to be in trouble but now has escaped any serious legal issues. There has been a lot written about this case, the rental car, who rented it and how the Tar Heels have dealt with the situation. North Carolina can survive if Hairston isn't available early in the season. Whether the Tar Heels have him or not for the potential showdown against Louisville in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off game at the Mohegan Sun may not matter. Hairston could have declared for the draft. He did not and chose to return. But NBA teams are aware of this incident and will be watching him going forward. The onus is on him to behave and be an upstanding citizen for UNC and in the area if he wants the questions to fade.

2. First Steve Forbes, now Scott Monarch is back in Division I. Forbes was part of the Tennessee staff that got dumped over the allegations from a barbecue with a recruit and subsequent statements over the event that followed. Forbes didn't lie to investigators but still had a one-year show cause. Forbes was a successful junior college coach at Northwest Florida, winning 66 games and reaching the national title game before landing back in a high-profile position as an assistant at 2013 Final Four participant Wichita State. A year ago, Monarch was fired at Marquette after not giving truthful responses over whether or not he provided gear and transportation to a recruit. Head coach Buzz Williams had to sit a game to start the Big East schedule due to the violation, even though he wasn't a participant. Now, Monarch is back in Division I at North Texas, working for former Marquette associate head coach Tony Benford. The coaching bonds are strong and these show how coaches can come back from an NCAA issue as long as they have relationships and networked well. Burn the bridges, turn your back on someone and getting re-hired soon in Division I will prove to be extremely difficult.

3. Transfers are coming to every program in America. Deal. No program is above the add on of players. And coaches are realizing that they must add players mid-stream who they may not have recruited. The latest examples are at TCU where the Horned Frogs added Chris Washburn Jr. from UTEP and Trey Zeigler of Pitt. Georgia Tech added Tennessee's Trae Golden. It has become increasingly apparent that programs can't survive without adding a transfer at some point to balance the classes or simply for an infusion of talent.

Editor's Note: Over two days, we're releasing the brackets/matchups for 11 of the top early-season events. Starting Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET, we'll unveil the final six: Charleston, 2K Sports, Diamond Head, CBE, Wooden and Maui. A thread of previews and info for all 11 tourneys can be found here.

When and where: Nov. 23-24 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

Semifinal schedule for the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off:

Nov. 23: North Carolina vs. Richmond (noon ET, ESPN3); Louisville vs. Fairfield (2 p.m. ET, ESPN3)
Nov. 24: Championship game (1 p.m. ET, ESPN); Consolation game (3 p.m. ET, ESPN3)

Initial thoughts: Smart move by Mohegan Sun. The casino, already home of a popular WNBA franchise, wisely has opened its doors to some of the college game’s best. Louisville and North Carolina would be headliners anywhere, and their presence here turns Uncasville into a destination getaway in late November. Odds of an upset are slim, but never count out Richmond. The Spiders always are well-coached.

Matchup I can’t wait to see: North Carolina versus Richmond. If an upset is going to happen here, this is the game. The Spiders return four of their top five scorers, and with P.J. Hairston’s status very much in question, they could give the Tar Heels a handful.

Potential matchup I’d like to see: Were you expecting to see Richmond-Fairfield here? Seriously, a Louisville-North Carolina matchup in late November is a pretty nice little early-season tilt for college hoops. The defending national champion Cardinals return the core if not the heart (that would be Peyton Siva) of their title-winning team, while the Tar Heels -- with James Michael McAdoo back, and possibly Hairston (depending on criminal charges he’s currently facing), are expected to make big jumps this season. Louisville likes to defend; UNC likes to score. Not a bad combo.

Five players to watch:

Russ Smith, Louisville: Russdiculous opted to return to the college game -- a very good decision. Now it’s time to see if Smith is willing to make good decisions more regularly. No one will argue his talent; now it’s time for him to showcase his IQ.

James Michael McAdoo: The talented but somewhat enigmatic player surprised some by coming back for his junior season after averaging 14.4 PPG and 7.3 RPG. He hasn't exactly been the alpha dog the Tar Heels have so desperately needed the past couple of years. Is now the time?

Cedrick Lindsay, Richmond: The senior finished second on the team in scoring, but really got good late. He averaged 16.5 points per game in his last 11 games.

Maurice Barrow, Fairfield: On a rebuilding squad that lost all-everything guard Derek Needham, last season's second-leading scorer will need to have a step up in production. If the Stags are going to compete in the MAAC, the 6-foot-5 forward will have to play a large role.

Chris Jones, Louisville: Just how good the Cardinals will be this season ultimately falls into the point guard’s hands. Literally. The highly touted juco transfer is replacing Siva -- no easy task, but he comes to campus with serious praise from Rick Pitino.

Title-game prediction: Louisville over North Carolina. Everyone will be trying to upset the king this year, so the road won’t be easy for the Cardinals. But Louisville is just too loaded with experience, even for a very good Tar Heels team.

Who others are picking:

Eamonn Brennan: Louisville over North Carolina
Jeff Goodman: Louisville over North Carolina
Seth Greenberg: Louisville over North Carolina
Andy Katz: Louisville over North Carolina
Jason King: Louisville over North Carolina
Myron Medcalf: Louisville over North Carolina

1. The investigation into North Carolina's P.J. Hairston continues without a resolution as the legal system and likely the NCAA system sort through the reports of his arrest and how he obtained access to a rental car, respectively, according to USA Today and the Raleigh News &Observer. UNC coach Roy Williams had largely been quiet on the subject until Monday. And while it was fair game to criticize the initial lack of action, it is worth noting that Williams didn't hide behind a faux summer suspension. Too often we've seen players suspended in the offseason with little consequence when the season actually matters. So, that's why it's good to hear Williams cut through the nonsense and say in a statement that he had several conversations with Hairston and added there would be "serious consequences.'' He added, "Certainly the idea of suspending P.J. has been discussed. However, he is not currently enrolled in summer school, is not practicing with the team and we have no games until November. There are several options available in terms of discipline but we are going to wait until the process is complete to decide on those options." Based on these statements it would seem to be a long shot for Hairston to start the season without some sort of discipline and absence from games. A suspension in November or December has teeth -- one in July does not.

2. Two years ago at the A-10 media day, La Salle coach John Giannini expressed no remorse over the departure of his perceived most talented player Aaric Murray. He was trouble for the Explorers and no one was whining over his departure to seek playing time elsewhere. West Virginia took him. Now the Mountaineers have essentially dumped him. Murray may find another team to take him -- someone always does. But his professional basketball career prospects have taken a major hit. If a team from the NBA is tantalized by his talent but calls Giannini or Bob Huggins they'll hardly get a good report. Murray has done more damage to himself than to either La Salle or West Virginia. The Explorers went to the Sweet 16 without him. That should send a clear message of how much he affects a team or the game.

3. The more we reviewed our bracket unveiling the various tournaments, including the Legends Classic, the more it became apparent Stanford could be a real sleeper nationally. The Cardinal should be a contender in the Pac-12. The Cardinal have the anchors and experience in Chasson Randle, Aaron Bright, Dwight Powell and Josh Huestis. Stanford will have plenty of chances to make a name for itself early in the season, especially by playing twice on the East Coast in the Legends Classic with Pitt in Brooklyn and playing at UConn.

For five weeks now, North Carolina coach Roy Williams has been mostly silent.

On June 7, when police said they seized a gun, nine rounds of ammunition and less than a half-ounce of marijuana from a GMC Yukon being driven by UNC guard P.J. Hairston, Williams' response -- that the program was aware of the issue and would wait for the "appropriate facts" to surface before it decided to do anything -- was issued through a spokesman. Later, in his only public remarks on the matter, Williams said the summer schedule allowed him to take his time and truly wait until "all the information comes out."

In the five weeks since, the fallout from Hairston's arrest has intensified. Eventually, USA Today Sports tracked down rental receipts for the vehicle Hairston was driving, and another when he was ticketed in May, both of which were rented to the last known address of Haydn "Fats" Thomas, a convicted felon.

The receipts -- one of which totaled $5,717.47 in two extended rental periods spanning nearly three months -- created more questions than answers. Initially, Thomas denied knowing Hairston or being a UNC booster and said the Yukon was borrowed by his friend, Miykael Faulcon, the day of the arrest. Why was another vehicle (rented by Catinia Farrington, whose address matched Thomas') being driven by Hairston a month earlier? The story of these rentals, and of the connections therein, remains incomplete. But nothing about it looks good.

Even then, Williams was quiet. Last we saw him, he was being sweatily pestered on his daily jog by a local TV news reporter, whom he politely and efficiently referred to UNC's media relations staff. That was it, and the questions -- even things as simple as Hairston's current status with the team, to say nothing of what UNC had found out about the whole mess -- remained unanswered.

On Monday, Williams finally spoke -- sort of.

Williams' statement, issued via email through UNC's media relations staff, is new in at least one way: It addresses the Hairston issues head on, and describes the meetings Williams has held with the player. It also promises consideration of "serious consequences," including discussion of "the idea of suspending P.J." Currently, Williams said, Hairston is not enrolled in summer school and is not practicing with the team (and "we have no games until November," which, thanks for the reminder), conditions which make it easier for Williams to essentially maintain the line he has taken all along: That nothing will happen until the "process is complete."

Despite the lack of public comment to date, Williams is clearly aware of the mess that Hairston's traffic stop catalyzed:

"Other issues have been written about recently that are disturbing and bother me deeply. Our basketball program is based on great ideals and these issues are embarrassing. These are not common in my 10 years as head coach at UNC and they will all be dealt with harshly and appropriately at the correct time to ensure that our program will not be compromised."

Going forward, that is the biggest minefield North Carolina has to traverse. It's not so much that Hairston made the just-downright-awful decision to drive around with bud and a gun; were those the only issues here, he could be suspended or dismissed with little fanfare. UNC would miss its leading scorer next season, but it would cope, and that would be the end of it.

No, it's the rental cars, not only the Yukon but the earlier rental Hairston was ticketed in, that are the issue here. If the NCAA -- which has refused to comment, saying it doesn't talk about "potential investigations" -- somehow summons the enforcement manpower in time to unearth a clear connection between Hairston's status as a UNC basketball player and his ability to transport himself in expensive rental cars, the resulting investigation and ruling could be felt long after Hairston's on-court abilities are forgotten.

It is that possibility that must truly frighten Williams and UNC. Any agony over whether Hairston will play for the Tar Heels this season feels laughably minor by comparison.

Here is Williams' full statement:

“I initially decided not to make a statement about PJ [Hairston] until the legal process had been finalized. I believe that is the fair way that everyone should be treated and is the way of our country.

PJ and I have had several discussions already and he knows he has made serious mistakes and there will be serious consequences as a result. Certainly the idea of suspending PJ has been discussed. However, he is not currently enrolled in summer school, is not practicing with the team and we have no games until November. There are several options available in terms of discipline but we are going to wait until the process is complete to decide on those options.

Other issues have been written about recently that are disturbing and bother me deeply. Our basketball program is based on great ideals and these issues are embarrassing. These are not common in my 10 years as head coach at UNC and they will all be dealt with harshly and appropriately at the correct time to ensure that our program will not be compromised.

We will care about each individual but there will be serious actions taken that will fix these issues. I take pride in our values and how we have conducted ourselves for a long time here at Carolina and this time will pass but it will be dealt with strongly.

We are talking about a program that has been a model of success on and off the court and it will be again. I want to thank our fans for their patience, understanding and support.”

North Carolina Tar Heels star P.J. Hairston was cited for speeding May 13 while driving a rental car registered to a woman with the same address as Haydn Thomas, a convicted felon who rented the vehicle Hairston was driving when he was arrested on marijuana possession charges June 5, USA Today Sports has reported, citing records obtained by the newspaper.

The speeding citation occurred while Hairston was driving a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro SS paid for by Catinia Farrington, whose Durham, N.C., address matched Thomas' on Hertz rental car receipts acquired by USA Today this weekend.

A public records search by ESPN.com confirmed Thomas and Farrington's shared address.

Click here for more on the story. Also, ESPN Radio's Scott Van Pelt talks with USA Today's Eric Prisbell about the story.

1. USA Basketball should reward Billy Donovan by considering him for the FIBA World Basketball Cup in 2018 and the 2020 Olympic staff in some manner. Donovan won gold medals for the U-18 last summer in Brazil and then Sunday for the U-19 in Prague. He showed the loyalty to come back and coach in consecutive summers and to see the FIBA World Championships to the conclusion. There's no reason why Donovan shouldn't be in consideration for the spot to potentially replace Mike Krzyzewski as the USA National Team coach. Donovan has now proven he can win at the American and International level. The next national team coach doesn't have to be an NBA coach. The replacement for Krzyzewski should be an experienced coach who has won in the states and abroad. Donovan was willing to sacrifice his summers for USA Basketball and blended a collection of college/high school players in three weeks two summers in a row. He won gold each time.

2. North Carolina head coach Roy Williams told USA Today for a June 17 story that he has ideas about the punishment for P.J. Hairston but was waiting for the legal system run its course. USA Today dove deeper about the rental car Hairston was driving when he was arrested, making the story even murkier. How Carolina handles this case will be very interesting to watch. Spring and summer suspensions are often criticized but at least they are done to send a message. Sometimes they don't have teeth. Sometimes they do. Hairston was allowed to still try out for the World University Games team despite the pending case. The one thing that is missing so far from Hairston is any sort of apology. That would be a start.

3. Arizona State is off to China in August in what should be a critical trip for the Sun Devils in their quest to get to the NCAA tournament. Jahii Carson returns to lead the Sun Devils and should be one of the top point guards in the country. ASU associate head coach Eric Musselman said the most important thing on the trip is to get the new players game experience. ASU needs to get Chance Murray, a guard, and Egor Koulechov a small forward as well as Calen Robinson, necessary game experience. The Sun Devils are looking to shoot quicker next season and run more of a fast-paced offense. Musselman said in the spring the Sun Devils were using a 24-second shot clock in workouts to push the tempo. Head coach Herb Sendek is open to tinkering all the time. He is clearly leaning on the NBA influence of Musselman to increase the productivity.

1. The World University Games USA team trimmed its roster down to 16 players on Wednesday. The team is loaded with Creighton's Doug McDermott, Michigan State's Adreian Payne, Duke's Rodney Hood, Baylor's Cory Jefferson and Colorado's Spencer Dinwiddie. Virginia's Joe Harris withdrew due to a stress fracture in his left foot (which should be of concern to Cavs fans since he's a must for them next season). North Carolina's P.J. Hairston didn't make the team due to a back injury. The surprise was that Hairston was even in Colorado Springs for the tryouts. Hairston was arrested recently (along with two others) for possession of marijuana. Harrison was cited for driving without a license. A day later, we learned that a 9mm firearm with ammunition was discovered next to a rental car he was driving. Why would USA basketball invite Hairston with the charges hanging over him? Why have him in Russia for the World University Games with questions surrounding his status with the law? A spokesperson said from the Czech Republic at the FIBA U-19 World Championships that USA basketball issued a statement after speaking with UNC coach Roy Williams. USA basketball was "comfortable with P.J. Hairston participating,'' in training camp. That's a bit weak to only talk to Williams as to whether or Hairston should be at the trials. USA basketball was fortunate a decision was made for it with the Hairston injury. USA basketball has made all the right moves recently, but this wasn't one of them.

2. New Big East commissioner Val Ackerman said the conference is set at 10. If this conference is going to be all about basketball then 10 is the magic number. The Big 12 is finding out what the Pac-12 (then the Pac-10) knew for years. Having a true round-robin makes for the most equitable conference season and ultimate champion. The new Big East doesn't need anymore of the A-10 schools to be solvent. They have enough of the market place and would not benefit much from adding more schools simply to get more teams in the tournament. There is not even guarantee that would occur. The most pressing moves Ackerman has to do in the coming weeks -- outside of visiting every school -- is to hire a staff, find rental space in New York City and finalize a difficult schedule because of the pro-arena conflicts for many of the teams. Ackerman impressed the media on Wednesday's conference call with her command of the issues and knowledge of the landscape after not being involved in college athletics recently -- aside from putting together a constructive critique of the women's college game.

3. Georgetown's Otto Porter said former teammates Markel Starks and D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera are going to have breakthrough seasons next year. He was also really high on UCLA transfer Josh Smith, who will be eligible at mid-semester. Smith has had plenty of hype and potential and this redshirt year (last spring semester and this fall) are probably two of the most important semesters of his career. If Smith is in shape and ready to play then he could be a difference maker for the Hoyas in the new Big East.

The 2013-14 season should be a landmark year for ACC basketball. Syracuse, Notre Dame and Pitt will join the league next season. And Louisville will follow a year later in 2014.

The Big Ten has held the “best conference in America” title in recent years. But the ACC could be a juggernaut that overtakes the Chicago-based league next season.

But one of the vital components in the latter scenario involves North Carolina returning to a national perch following last season’s up-and-down campaign. And that possibility is tied to the availability of junior P.J. Hairston (14.6 PPG), the team’s leading scorer in 2012-13.

The details of his arrest earlier this month are still somewhat murky. But this much is clear: police discovered drugs in a rented vehicle occupied by Hairston and two other men, and a gun was found at the scene during the highly publicized stop in Durham, N.C.

On Monday, Roy Williams discussed the situation in a conversation with USA Today. Williams told the publication that he’s awaiting all the facts related to the case. But he also mentioned the he has “some ideas” of a possible punishment for Hairston, who opted to play another year of college basketball after considering the NBA a few months ago.

From Eric Prisbell of USA Today:

"We are doing one thing: We are waiting until all the information comes out," Williams told USA TODAY Sports on Monday. "The good thing is, I don't have to make a decision right now because we're in summer school, fall semester has not started, basketball has not started. We're going to wait and see what happens. I've got some ideas, but right now those ideas are staying in my mind.

"I am waiting until all the facts come in and then I will take care of everything that needs to be taken care of."

Now, I think Williams is right to wait until the facts are revealed. Can’t punish a guy without knowing his true role in the matter.

Midway through June, however, Tar Heels fans still don’t know how the incident will affect one of the most crucial members of a squad that is expected to compete for the ACC crown next year.

So it’s still a waiting game in Chapel Hill.

WTVD Sports Director Mark Armstrong discusses the marijuana possession charge facing North Carolina's leading scorer P.J. Hairston.