Who is Billy Preston? Former Kansas 5-star recruit exposed Jayhawks program in fresh allegations
Former Kansas five-star recruit Billy Preston has made new allegations about the program. Preston never played a game for the Jayhawks after a minor accident opened up an NCAA investigation, whichremains active to this day.
On ESPN's 30 for 30 "Bag Game" podcast, Preston said that Kansas was directly involved in direct payments from T.J. Gassnola of Adidas. While the university placed the blame on Adidas, Preston was adamant that the Jayhawks were not victims.
"They ain't no victim," Preston said (h/t OutKick). "They knew what was going on, too. They put the whole thing together and set it up. Like, KU was the whole reason we even met."
Billy Preston left Kansas due to his frustrations with the investigation by the NCAA, with the FBI also getting involved. Another former Jayhawks player, Silvio De Sousa, has been named as part of the ongoing investigation.
Kansas has already made self-imposed sanctions, including restrictions to last season's recruitment. Restrictions are also expected for the upcoming season, while head coach Bill Self and assistant coach Kurtis Townsend were suspended for four games at the start of last season.
However, the Jayhawks are still awaiting the resolution of their latest infraction hearing, which ended over the weekend. Preston's latest revelation might not have any effect on Kansas' upcoming penalties, but it's not a good look for the program.
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Billy Preston's personal and professional life
Billy Preston was anticipated to become the next one-and-done prodigy upon joining the University of Kansas basketball team in 2017. However, a minor car accident unexpectedly exposed a web of illicit corporate payments, abruptly derailing his future.
Billy Preston was born on Oct. 26, 1997 in Redondo Beach, California. Preston's mother, Nicole Player, raised him with his godmother, Timicha Kirby. Player and Kirby have been together since Preston was five, and he considers them his parents.
Preston focused on basketball after a skateboarding accident when he was in sixth grade. He went to four different high schools, but was a five-star recruit as a senior out of the famed Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.
Standing 6' 10", Preston was recruited by several programs like Arizona, Indiana, Syracuse and USC, but eventually committed to Kansas. However, he was unable to have a collegiate career following an NCAA investigation into his recruitment.
Preston decided to turn professional and sign with Igokea Laktasi in the Bosnian league. He then declared for the 2018 draft but went undrafted. He signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Cavaliers before moving down to their NBA G League affiliate, the Canton Charge.
The California native also played for the Erie BayHawks and Texas Legends in the G League. He would move back overseas in 2019, signing for the NBL's Illawarra Hawks. After a stint in Australia, he signed with the Dominican Republic team Metropolitanos de Mauricio Baez.
Preston last played for the Cape Town Tigers in the Basketball Africa League for the 2021-22 season. Though his NBA dreams came to an end, Billy is currently showcasing his skills in the East Asia Super League, representing the New Taipei Kings.
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