Coach Williams speaks out on report from KU

North Carolina men’s basketball coach Roy Williams issued a statement Saturday regarding violations that were committed during his last three years as head coach at the University of Kansas.

“I am deeply saddened to say there was evidently a mistake,” he said.

Williams approved improper gifts from three boosters for Kansas players that were graduating or already had exhausted their eligibility.

“I did not know the rule that once you are a student-athlete, you are a student-athlete until death,” he said.

During an internal investigation conducted at Kansas, three boosters said they’d given players gifts ranging from $25 to $400.

The KU booster­s — Joan Edwards, Bernard Morgan and Dana Anderson — said the gifts included money and clothing.

Williams said a “communication problem” with the compliance department at Kansas led him to believe that it was permissible for graduation gifts to be given to seniors.

The violations were deemed to be secondary infractions by the investigator who conducted the review at Kansas.

UNC athletics director Dick Baddour said there’s no reason to believe any similar infractions have occurred at the University.

“No one is more committed to complying with NCAA rules than Roy Williams,” said Baddour in a statement released Saturday.

“He and his staff have the utmost respect for doing things the right way,” said Baddour. “I am confident he received approval from the compliance staff at Kansas.”

The NCAA prohibits coaches, boosters, staff members and athletics department representatives from giving gifts to student-athletes.

Any gifts, monetary or otherwise, cannot be given to a student-athlete before, during or after his college career.

“As always, my staff and I are committed to running a program in complete compliance with the rules,” Williams said.

“I will never do anything to embarrass this great University, just as I was committed to doing things the proper way at Kansas. I will continue to represent Carolina in a positive manner.”

Bob Frederick, the associate athletic director of Kansas from 1987 to 2001, released a statement Saturday regarding Williams’ tenure at Kansas.

“In all my years of intercollegiate athletics, there has never been anyone I worked with who was more scrupulous about working within the rules, asking questions about the rules, and being committed to the rules than Coach Williams,” he said.

“He ran a model program at Kansas in every respect. If there was a mistake in this matter, it was a communications mistake.”