Rick Pitino has led the Louisville men's basketball team to success, but the program is now embroiled in a recruiting scandal. According to a book and interviews, former operations director Andre McGee paid escorts and strippers to have sex with recruits from 2010-2014. The NCAA and university are investigating; the university suspended the basketball team from postseason tournaments this season, devastating two senior transfers. Pitino must now use transformational leadership to guide the program through the challenges while upholding university values. The long-term impacts of penalties and lost recruits remain to be seen.

1. Louisville
Basketball
Scandal
Mamadou Ba

2. Louisville Basketball Scandal
A women name Katina Powell released a book saying that former director of
basketball operations for Louisville Men’s Basketball Andre McGee paid her
and other strippers to be escorts for louisville basketball recruits.
The name of the book Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen,
Wrote by Katina Powell stated 22 women was involved with stripping and sex
parties from 2010 up until 2014.
After this book was released Katina Powell when on to ESPN Outside the Lines to
tell the whole story.

3. Louisville Basketball Scandal (cont.)
In her Interview with Outside the Lines, Katina said McGee would make “side
deals” to pay extra for the strippers to have sex with recruits.
A recruit that went on to play else where commented “I knew they weren't college
girls. It was crazy. It was like I was in a strip club.”
A former player came out saying he had sex with a dancer and McGee provided
him with one-dollar bills to tip dancers.
Another former player said “
McGee "would give us the money, just the recruits. A bunch of us were sitting
there while they danced. Then the players left, and the recruits chose which one
[of the dancers] they wanted."

4. Louisville Basketball Scandal (cont.)
Katina, in her book and interview, said former players Terry Rozier and Montrezl
Harrell along with former recruits JaQuan Lyle, Antonio Blakeney, Jordan
Mickey had sex with the strippers.
Rick Pitino of head coach of the Men’s basketball team said he knew nothing
about everything stated in Katina Powell’s book.
Players whose names were involved either denied to comment or denied
everything Powell said in her book.

5. Concepts/Theories
Decision Making
Emotion in the workplace
Leadership

6. Parties affected
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
Louisville University
Louisville Athletic Department
Louisville Basketball Program
Current/Former players
Alumni
Fans

7. NCAA Reaction
Louisville being part of the NCAA notified them of the situation, the NCAA
immediately started investigation.
Even though investigation is still going on as an organization the NCAA will have
to make decision through the investigation on how to handle this situation.
In the past the NCAA has made decisions involving suspensions, sanctions, and
terminations
After the investigation, going through the decision making process I think the
Fisher’s phase model is most appropriate for this situation

8. Fisher’s Phase Model
Orientation; understanding the problem
Conflict; members present and debate a solution
Emergence; reach an agreement
Reinforcement; support the solution

9. Louisville University Disciplinary Actions
Investigation by the University revealed that some violations did occur.
University President James Ramsey made the decision to ban the basketball.
program from participating in the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) and NCAA
tournament.
The decision was made during the season and affected players who weren't even
at louisville at the time of the incident.

10. Banned From Tournaments
I personally feel that was the wrong decision made by the university due to timing.
Current louisville players shouldn't have to suffer because of something that
happened in the past.
When making a decision, you have to look at who is affected and how.
With louisville having a special season coaches, players, and fans were
heartbroken by the decision.
But nobody was more hurt then the two graduate transfers.

11. The Two Seniors
Both Trey Lewis and Damion Lee transferred to Louisville after undergrad to have
one chance to play in the NCAA tournament.
But that was taken away with the decision made by the university.
Neither of them was at louisville during the time of the scandal but got punished
and dreams taken away from them
After Rick Pitino held a meeting to inform the players of the decision made by the
university Trey Lewis and Damion Lee both cried while being held by
teammates.

12. Emotion in the Workplace
I am sure you heard people say being a college athlete is like a job.
The classroom, practice, and games is your workplace.
After the decision and investigations going on; The university and everyone
involved had feelings about the situation.
Watching the basketball team play the rest of the regular season games, they did
a great job of handling their emotions to produce wins.
Most teams would fold and lose the rest of the games.

13. Handling Emotions in the Workplace
Emotional Labor; A way to regulate your emotions at work.
In Louisville basketball team case, understanding private and public. “What's said
in the locker room stays in the locker room”
Communicating; Understanding how everyone is feeling so that working together
won't be difficult.
Use emotion in a positive way to produce more. “Playing harder because the game
you love is being taken away”

14. Leadership
Leadership is the action of leading a group of people or an organization.
"Leadership is having a vision, sharing that vision and inspiring others to support
your vision while creating their own." – Mindy Gibbins-Klein

15. Louisville Leaders
James Ramsey (President of the University)
Tom Jurich (Athletic Director)
Rick Pitino (Men's Head Basketball Coach)
These three have to combine leadership, work together in order to dig the
University, Athletic Department, and Basketball Program out this situation

16. Transformational VS Transactional
Leadership
Transformational Leadership: Style of leadership in which the leader identifies the
needed change, creates a vision to guide the change through inspiration, and
executes the change with the commitment of the members of the group.
Transactional Leadership:Style of leadership that is based on the setting of clear
objectives and goals for the followers as well as the use of either punishments or
rewards in order to encourage compliance with these goals.

17. Rick Pitino’s
Rick Pitino has been Louisville basketball coach since 2001, leading them to win a
national championship in 2013.
During this trial time for Louisville, he showed how great of a leader he is by the way
his team continued to compete and win games even though they could not play in
the tournament.
Watching the games on tv and his interview you can tell he puts his all into Louisville
basketball organization.

18. Rick Pitino’s Leadership Style
From a far Rick Pitino has characteristic to a Transformational leader.
He maximizes his programs and people involved to higher levels
He inspires Louisville University staff and students to be there best
His relationship with player go beyond basketball
He is a role model that people respect and trust

19. Outcomes of the Scandal
After all investigations I think Louisville basketball program will be disciplined by
the NCAA to miss another year of the tournament.
I don't believe that Rick Pitino will get fired, but I do think he will receive a
suspension for no longer than a year
Louisville basketball will lose some recruits but at the end of all this Louisville the
university will still be in good standing as one of the top universities in the country
Loyal fans will continue to show supports to another NCAA tournament appearance

20. References
http://www.sbnation.com/2016/2/5/10923770/louisville-postseason-ban-ncaa-
tournament-damion-lee-trey-lewis
http://abc11.com/sports/louisville-pulls-out-of-tournaments-amid-escort-
scandal/1188584/
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/13927159/former-louisville-cardinals-
basketball-players-recruits-acknowledge-stripper-parties-minardi-hall