And this was broke by the Springfield News-Loser, which is even more impressive.
http://www.kansascity.com/385/story/989604.html
KU looking into Self's conversation with recruit
LAWRENCE | Kansas officials are aware that KU coach Bill Self had a brief interaction with top recruit John Wall during an NCAA evaluation period last Thursday night at a high school basketball tournament in Springfield.
Coaches are not allowed contact with recruits during an NCAA evaluation period other than to exchange greetings.
“Bill has brought it to our attention, and we’re still discussing just exactly what happened,” said Jim Marchiony, KU associate athletics director for external relations. “We’ll certainly discuss it with our compliance office.”
A column in the Springfield News-Leader detailed an exchange that took place between Self and Wall outside Wall’s locker room after his game had finished.
Self reportedly said to Wall, “Johnny, great win, man. You really played well.” Wall thanked Self, who then said, “I’m not supposed to be talking to you, and you know that, but I just wanted to tell you that was a great win.”
NCAA rules define contact as “any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or the prospect’s parents, relatives or legal guardian(s) and an institutional staff member or athletics representative during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting.”
The rules also state if a coach “positions himself in a location where contact is possible” it is considered a contact “regardless of whether any conversation occurs.” The rules say that if a coach is approached by a prospect, it is a not a contact as long as the coach doesn’t engage in more than a greeting and “takes appropriate steps to immediately terminate the encounter.”
The News-Leader said Self “vanished” after the exchange with Wall.
Wall, a 6-foot-4 point guard, is rated the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2009 by Rivals.com. He visited Kansas for the team’s 2008 national championship ring ceremony on the weekend of Sept. 20. Wall, a native of Raleigh, N.C., will choose among Kansas, Memphis, Baylor, N.C. State, Oregon, Duke and Miami.
The KU athletic department is in the final year of a three-year NCAA probation for violations in men’s basketball and football. The basketball program has operated the past two seasons with 12 scholarships instead of the allotted 13
