Report: NCAA looks at Nerlens Noel

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NEW YORK -- The NCAA is looking into Nerlens Noel, a top prep recruit who has committed to play at national champion Kentucky next season, The New York Times reported.

Brennan: No cause for alarm ... yet

If the NCAA finds something improper in Kentucky recruit Nerlens Noel's prep career, that's a big deal. But the news that the organization is checking on the nation's top prospect shouldn't come as a surprise, writes Eamonn Brennan. Blog

The newspaper said Tuesday that two members of the NCAA enforcement staff went to Everett, Mass., this week to inquire about the 6-foot-10 Noel, who attended Everett High School for two years but is now at the Tilton School in New Hampshire.

Everett High principal Louis Baldi told the newspaper he met with NCAA investigators for 75 minutes. He didn't reveal specific details, and said the NCAA officials "didn't ask me any investigative-type questions."

NCAA investigators were planning to inquire about Noel's relationships with former Providence assistant Chris Driscoll and former Everett High substitute teacher Errol Randolph, according to a person briefed on the investigation, The Times reported.

According to the report, Driscoll was barred from the Tilton School's campus this year, as officials at the boarding school expressed concern that Driscoll was not looking out for Noel's best interests. Driscoll, who has denied the allegation, did not return a call seeking comment, The Times reported.

Randolph previously had a link on his LinkedIn page to the website of the sports agency run by agent Andy Miller, according to the report. Randolph said he had no formal dealings with Miller, whom he knew from another relationship more than 10 years ago, and never received money from him. He said the link to Miller's agency appeared on his LinkedIn page because he was browsing it.

Officials also planned to look into Noel's finances, The Times reported, citing a person briefed on the probe. Noel flew on unofficial visits to Kentucky and Louisville this year and those visits were not funded by the schools, according to the report.

Tilton headmaster Jim Clements said he had not heard from the NCAA. He said he expected Noel to graduate at the end of next week.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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