Larry Brown concerned by UNC scandal
University of North Carolina alum and former NBA coach Larry Brown is troubled by the academic scandal rocking his alma mater.
Brown graduated from UNC in 1963 and played basketball for Dean Smith, whose reputation the former Philadelpia 76ers coach believes is at stake after an investigation found athletes to be benefiting from bogus classes.
"Absolutely I'm worried about it," Brown said Thursday, according to Dana O'Neil of ESPN. "What's troubling me the most is that some of that stuff dates back to coach (Dean) Smith, and we all know the character of that man."
The athletes - as well as other students at the school - were allegedly directed to take fake classes, where high grades were easily attainable, to keep their playing eligibility.
"My daughter took some of those classes," Brown said. "If you look around, there's not a school in the country that doesn't have classes like that. How many kids are taking online classes these days? That's not an excuse. I'm just saying there are classes like that that are legitimate."
Brown began his coaching career as an assistant at UNC in 1965. He's now the head coach at SMU.