Dubs Implicated in FBI NCAA Basketball Probe

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Washington was not left untouched by the recent findings of an FBI probe into dealings within NCAA basketball recruitment. The released report included findings that former UW star and No. 1 pick in the past spring’s NBA Draft Markelle Fultz received $10,000 from the sports agency ASM and also implicated former Husky Dejounte Murray, but Off Leash has also been alerted that Dubs, the UW’s mascot, was in on the money train.

ASM reportedly gave the beloved Alaskan Malamute $3,000 worth of dog treats and luxury collars back in January 2009, right before Dubs’ decided to come to Washington. Former NBA agent Andy Miller also made substantial payments — upwards of $7,000 — to Dubs’ owners for the husky to sign with ASM.

Washington officials initially denied all knowledge of the transactions, which were made when Scott Woodward, the current athletic director at Texas A&M, was the AD on Montlake.

This past Friday, though, the FBI released wiretaps between Woodward and former University of Washington President Mark Emmert — now the President of the NCAA — in which the former AD detailed the plans he had in place with Miller and his former associate, Christian Dawkins. At the time, Dubs was being recruited by multiple other universities who were looking for huskies, including the University of Connecticut, Northeastern University, and Northern Illinois University.

“This young pup gets $10,000, and we get a new star running onto the field every autumn weekend at Husky Stadium,” Woodward is heard saying.

Woodward declined to comment on the situation. Neither Emmert nor Dubs responded to interview requests. Dubs’ partner, Harry the Husky, was unable to speak at the time, and only answered questions with passive shrugs and borderline violent gestures.

Dubs is not the only mascot in trouble at the moment. Arizona’s Wilbur the Wildcat has been hit with allegations both of recruiting violations and steroids. A separate probe found that a staffer had been taking classes for Ramses, the ram that represents the University of North Carolina. Berkeley’s Golden Bear, Oski, turned out to actually be an overgrown weasel. And the Stanford Tree… we don’t even know half of what goes with that guy.