UNC's Leslie McDonald cleared to play by NCAA

UPDATE: UNC released McDonald’s NCAA case documents.

Redshirt senior guard Leslie McDonald has been cleared to play this season, starting with tonight’s game against Texas, the NCAA announced today.

McDonald missed nine games. He was found to have received $1,783 in impermissible extra benefits and will have to repay that amount to a charity of his choice.

UNC discovered McDonald’s rule violations on Oct. 24 and submitted a reinstatement request to the NCAA on Dec. 11. After a fact-finalization period, a complete request was submitted Dec. 17.

Junior guard P.J. Hairston’s fate is still undetermined. McDonald’s reinstatement request is the only one the NCAA has received, according to the official NCAA release.

“We are certainly glad to have this issue resolved for Leslie,” coach Roy Williams said in a UNC release. “It has been a terrible time for Leslie and his family and our basketball team. I was very disappointed by Leslie’s actions and he knows this. He has suffered the consequences of his actions and I hope he has learned a lesson that I also hope his teammates recognize. Leslie has been a sensational teammate and worked hard in practice to help our team. He understands what he has already lost and wants to really enjoy this second chance. Leslie has one more semester to contribute to our team and finish his degree. I feel sure he will be truly dedicated to accomplishing both of those goals.”

McDonald accepted benefits from numerous individuals during the spring and summer of 2013, according to the NCAA, including the use of luxury cars, payment of parking tickets, a cell phone and lodging. Because this is McDonald’s final season of eligibility, he must complete his repayment before the last regular season game.

“I feel blessed to play again for Carolina,” McDonald said in a UNC release. “I truly regret putting my family, UNC and my teammates and coaches through this. I apologize to everyone who cares about the University of North Carolina and will do what I can to make up for it. You never know how much you love to play the game until you are not allowed to. I learned that two years ago when I hurt my knee and had to sit out an entire season. I hated going through it again, but it was a result of the mistakes I made. I am going to enjoy every minute of this second chance and play as hard as I can to help my teammates and coaches as they have helped me.”

Though McDonald was never formally suspended from the North Carolina men’s basketball team, he hasn’t dressed in uniform this season, stemming from his promotion of a designer mouth guard company this summer.

The University sent a cease-and-desist letter to the company, Iceberg Guards, for using McDonald to promote their product.

Coach Roy Williams indefinitely suspended Hairston on July 28. Hairston was pulled over at Durham traffic stop June 5 driving a car rented by Durham felon Hadyn “Fats” Thomas.

“Eligibility issues are some of the most important ones we face in college athletics because they directly impact so many people,” Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham said in the release. “These issues have had an effect on not only Leslie, but his coaches, teammates and everyone who supports our program. He made some mistakes and faced serious consequences as a result, but I am glad for Leslie that he is able to return. We all must learn from these situations and avoid the kind of problems that could jeopardize eligibility and our program’s success.”

Impermissible benefits received by Leslie McDonald reported by North Carolina include:

• Use of 2009 Porsche Cayenne registered to Catinia Farrington from June 27 through July 1, 2013 to travel between Chapel Hill and Oakboro, N.C. valued at $501.77 — the projected average rental cost for a similar vehicle for that time period.

• Use of three vehicles — 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, 2013 Mercedes 350, 2008 Audi A4 — rented by or associated with Haydn “Fats” Thomas from April 1 through June 4, 2013. McDonald used the vehicles for varying lengths of time and purposes. The NCAA found through interviews with McDonald and Miykael Faulcon that McDonald was responsible for 25 percent of the vehicles’ use and a redacted name is responsible for the remaining 75 percent from April 1 through May 14. McDonald and others shared use of the vehicles, according to the report. Faulcon told investigators in an interview on Oct. 7 that McDonald only had access to the vehicles when Faulcon and a redacted name were not using them. The report states that McDonald had less than equal access to the vehicles. The document states that McDonald received $1,157.50 of impermissible benefits stemming from vehicle use and paid parking tickets.

• Lodging at the home of Johnny Tillett, organizer of the OBX 4 Corners Basketball Camp in Nags Head valued $50 for three nights between July 1 and July 4.

• Iceberg Guard custom mouth guard given to McDonald by friend Brint Hayes valued at $93, but assessed at $50 because the mouth guard would have been permissible if supplied by the University.

• iPhone 4 purchased by McDonald from Thomas through Hayes for $100 in cash. Because there are no records to confirm the purchase, McDonald was assessed the full value of an iPhone 4 at $124.19.

• McDonald was also involved in activities promoting Iceberg Guards and KISS Entertainment at the bidding of Hayes, further violating NCAA rules.