Allen Iverson had a profoundly successful two years at Georgetown. He went from all-rookie to All-American to first pick in the NBA draft.
But his success was hardly considered a given when John Thompson offered the guard a scholarship in April 1994. A year earlier, Iverson had been convicted on three felony counts in connection with a bowling alley brawl in his hometown of Hampton, Va. He had spent four months in prison before being granted clemency by Gov. L. Douglas Wilder.
Iverson's mother reached out to Thompson, figuring the coach could lend a strong hand in guiding her son. He in turn saw a young man who deserved a chance.
Iverson's pattern is the one college coaches hope for when they recruit gifted players with past legal troubles. If Maryland recruit Tyree Evans - with past misdemeanor convictions for assault and marijuana possession - can gain admission to school and follow a similar path, Terps basketball coach Gary Williams will be vindicated.
Every year, college coaches roll the dice on players considered "high-risk" by some. Plenty turn out to be good citizens and great players. Some continue to be headaches or worse.
There have been several local examples, positive and negative, in recent years.
In 2005, Towson accepted former Calvert Hall basketball standout Gary Neal after he was acquitted of rape charges. Neal was a good citizen at Towson, set the school's single-season scoring record and graduated to a professional career in Turkey.
In 2006, Maryland football coach Ralph Friedgen rescinded a scholarship offer to Randallstown star Melvin Alaeze because of academic concerns and marijuana charges. Alaeze went to Illinois but left for personal reasons after less than two months. Last year, he was sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in a shooting and robbery in Randallstown.
There are plenty more stories on the national stage. Most college coaches shied away from New York prep star Richie Parker after he pleaded guilty to sexual assault in 1995. But Long Island University coach Ray Haskins gave Parker a chance and got a solid four-year player who never got into trouble again.
Quarterback Colt Brennan had a brilliant career at Hawaii after he was found guilty of second-degree burglary and first-degree criminal trespass during a walk-on year at Colorado.
