Louisville: Freshman Bowen, caught up in FBI probe, will not play

Louisville has announced that freshman forward Brian Bowen will not play for the school and that the Cardinals have parted ways with men’s basketball assistant coach Kenny Johnson.

The 6-foot-7 Bowen signed with Louisville in June but had been held out of practice and games since the school announced in September that it was being investigated in a federal corruption probe of bribery in college basketball. Ten people, including four assistant coaches and Adidas executive James Gatto, were initially charged in the investigation.

The federal complaint stated that Gatto and others attempted to funnel $100,000 to a recruit’s family to gain his commitment to play for Louisville. Bowen was not named in documents, but details made clear that investigators were referring to the freshman.

The investigation has resulted in firings last month of Cardinals coach Rick Pitino and athletic director Tom Jurich. Johnson had been on paid administrative leave while the allegations were investigated.