The Clemson Insider has learned Clemson officials met with assistant men’s basketball coach Steve Smith and head coach Brad Brownell Thursday afternoon to discuss his comments during a Federal Court proceeding in New York.
In the proceeding, a video was played Thursday of a wiretap recording that included Smith talking to Christian Dawkins and an undercover FBI agent. The recording was from a conversation taken in July of 2017 about the recruitment of former Duke star Zion Williamson.
Smith also made a couple of comments regarding the Clemson Football Program during the conversation.
The Clemson assistant coach met with Brownell and deputy athletic Graham Neff Thursday afternoon and is expected to meet with athletic director Dan Radakovich as well on Thursday. Radakovich was meeting with the board of trustees in Greenville earlier in the day.
TCI reached out to Clemson football as well. Spokesman Ross Taylor said head coach Dabo Swinney was aware of Smith’s comments and they will address the matter at a later time.
The Clemson Athletic Department later sent out a press release on Smith’s comments.
“We are aware of the developments in federal court today involving one of our men’s basketball assistant coaches. We take this matter seriously and will immediately conduct a review,” the release said.
CBS Sports senior writer Matt Norlander first tweeted Smith’s comments from the trail on Thursday. Below is what he reported Smith said in the wiretap.
Clemson football was also discussed via wiretap by Clemson basketball asst coach Steve Smith like this, in relation to Zion hoops recruitment: "That's why football is so successful, is if you do it and use resources at Clemson, like you can really keep everything tight."
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 25, 2019
Another video wiretap was played that included Clemson assistant coach Steve Smith talking to Christian Dawkins and an undercover FBI agent about the recruitment and potential payments to be made to Zion Williamson's family. These wiretaps were caught in July of 2017.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 25, 2019
More on Clemson FB, via Steve Smith on wiretap: “It’s a small college town. … You can come to a game one night, after the game you see a dude out there in a nice looking suit, you like, wait a minute now.”
Blazer: "I understood that to mean boosters would give certain things."
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 25, 2019
Dawkins was found guilty of multiple federal crimes in October 2018. Now a second trail has brought out more of Dawkins’ shady deals as the prosecution continues to get the testimony of key witness Marty Blazer.