Ex-Arizona assistants Joe Pasternack, Book Richardson worked with agents to secure recruits

It’s all coming down now.

At about the same time it was revealed that Sean Miller allegedly was caught on wiretaps talking about paying $100,000 for Deandre Ayton, Yahoo! published a report about how Arizona assistants were emailing agents about securing players.

Both Book Richardson and Joe Pasternack are named in the report, as well as Rawle Alkins, Lauri Markkanen, and Brian Bowen. Richardson has already been charged by the FBI, while Pasternack was likely an unnamed coach in the original documents that were released back at the beginning of the season.

The emails illustrate how the agents, specifically Christian Dawkins, were able to manipulate the Arizona program.

The subject of the emails published by Yahoo! surround the recruitment of Bowen, who eventually wound up at Louisville but never played for the Cardinals. Pasternack seems to be the one who was leading Arizona’s efforts in trying to land Bowen, according to some of the content in the email.

“Now that they need something from us,” Dawkins writes, referencing Bowen, “they’re all apologetic... Now I can’t promise that this kid that they want [Bowen] is going to Arizona, but Joe told me verbatim he will help us get all the Arizona players so put his feet to the fire.”

How would the Arizona coaches help this agency get all the Arizona players? Well, Richardson promised them Alkins.

“coach book from Arizona called me and basically told me he wants me to take [current Arizona guard] rawle alkins,” an email from Dawkins to his boss Andy Miller and others read. “He said he is picking the agent, period….What’s your position on the situation?”

Two days later, Dawkins followed up with: “Book at Arizona has the juice with the situation, they’re going to listen to him. Nobody else is involved besides book, the kid and Rodney (the cousin). The mom has say but I think she will depend on Rodney. He can get stuff done.”

Arizona was also going to try and convince Markkanen to go with this agency provided that Bowen wound up with the Wildcats instead of Louisville.

“He is saying that hes [sic] not in place with [NBA agent Dan] Fegan,” Dawkins wrote of Pasternack. “Vye, if you have to make a call to these guys the kid that they want from me is Brian Bowen.” He goes on to encourage Vye, a veteran ASM agent, to build a relationship with Markkanen’s father. “Arizona will do pretty much whatever we ask of them right now, until my kid decides on a school.”

Markkanen wound up signing with Michael Lelchitski, according to DraftExpress. Lelchinski also represents Alex Len, who also happens to be in these emails from Dawkins.

“I asked him straight up is the kid with Alex Len’s agent he said no, so if he is Joe is a liar. I would use this window where they need us to our advantage.”

All the advantages are gone now.

UC Santa Barbara, where Pasternack is now the head coach, and Arizona did not comment on this story.