NCAA bans three players for gambling as wider college basketball probe expands

The NCAA on Wednesday issued permanent bans to three men’s basketball players connected to Fresno State and San Jose State after determining they placed wagers on their own games, manipulated performances, and shared insider information with others.

The ruling applies to former Fresno State guard Mykell Robinson, former San Jose State forward Steven Vasquez, and former Fresno State guard Jalen Weaver. All three athletes have been released from their teams and are no longer enrolled at their schools.

In its announcement, the NCAA stated that “the student-athletes bet on their own games, one another's games and/or provided information that enabled others to do so during the 2024-25 regular season.” Investigators also found that two of the players deliberately altered their on-court performance to secure betting wins.

The case began when Fresno State and a betting integrity monitor flagged suspicious wagers tied to Robinson’s individual stats. According to the NCAA, Robinson and Vasquez, roommates at Fresno State during the 2023-24 season, shared information to exploit prop bets.

Text messages obtained by investigators showed Robinson telling Vasquez in January that he would intentionally underperform in a game while still playing for Fresno State. Robinson, Vasquez, and a third party then placed $2,200 in bets on those outcomes, collecting $15,950 in winnings.

Robinson was also found to have placed 13 daily fantasy sports bets on his own performance, some included in parlays, one of which returned $618. In addition, he bet on Weaver’s statistics during a December 2024 game, after the two exchanged betting information. Weaver placed a $50 parlay on his own stats, Robinson’s stats, and those of another teammate, winning $260.

The NCAA noted that Robinson and Vasquez refused to cooperate with investigators, while Weaver participated and admitted to his violation. Fresno State finished the 2024-25 season with a 6-26 record, while San Jose State went 15-20.

The sanctions were announced one day before the NCAA revealed that 13 other men’s basketball players from six additional schools, Eastern Michigan, Temple, Arizona State, New Orleans, North Carolina A&T, and Mississippi Valley State, are under investigation for gambling violations. None of those athletes remain enrolled at their respective institutions, and their names have not yet been disclosed.

The NCAA said those cases involve players betting on or against their own teams, manipulating scores or outcomes, and refusing to participate in enforcement investigations. Some athletes also provided information to third parties for gambling purposes.

NCAA president Charlie Baker warned that legalized betting has introduced new risks. “The rise of sports betting is creating more opportunity for athletes across sports to engage in this unacceptable behavior, and while legalized sports betting is here to stay, regulators and gaming companies can do more to reduce these integrity risks by eliminating prop bets and giving sports leagues a seat at the table when setting policies,” Baker said.

The organization emphasized that no schools or coaching staff are accused of involvement, and no institutional penalties are being pursued.

The widening probe is linked to suspicious wagers flagged by sportsbooks and integrity monitors across the past two seasons. ESPN previously reported that betting accounts tied to a gambling ring under federal investigation placed unusual bets against Temple, Eastern Michigan, North Carolina A&T, Mississippi Valley State, and New Orleans.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania is investigating that ring, which is connected to the NBA betting scandal involving former player Jontay Porter.

Bookmakers first noticed irregular activity in the 2023-24 season. A March 2024 Temple game against UAB drew sharp movement in the point spread, from UAB -2 to as high as -8, prompting sportsbooks to halt wagering. UAB went on to win 100-72. The following season, games involving Eastern Michigan were flagged, and four University of New Orleans players were suspended during the probe.