Derek Dixon’s comments are sparking tampering accusations toward Arizona

Before we get into the nitty gritty of what Derek Dixon had to say when he was a guest on The Field of 68 Podcast, it's important to let this be known.

We're very well-aware that tampering is very, very common in college athletics, and everyone is doing it in some way, shape or form.

However, this article is not only to discuss what Dixon had to say, but to use as a guidepoint in why this is such a bad look for college athletics.

Derek Dixon's latest comments spark tampering allegations

While speaking with Jeff Goodman, Dixon talked about his decision to transfer to Arizona this offseason. Below is a clip of Dixon describing why Arizona was the fit for him:

Yes, Arizona was heavily involved in his high school recruitment, one that ended in favor of the Tar Heels. However, it doesn't seem like Tommy Lloyd and his staff stopped there, as this particular quote from Dixon suggests there was contact throughout his freshman season at North Carolina:

“They (Arizona) kept up with me throughout the season.”

For starters, it's another reminder of how tampering is out of control in general. No one is innocent (so please don't take it like we're saying Arizona is the only one to do this), but at what point does the NCAA do something about it?

On the player side of things, it's disappointing to think that a player likely wasn't fully focused on helping his current team win, already looking for a way out the door, while his current season was very much still going. If a player (or his "representatives") were in contact with another school, was that player really concerned about his current situation, given the obvious factors (NIL, playing time, environment, etc.) that he wasn't happy with at his current stop?

Matt Able's message to UNC after withdrawing from the NBA Draft makes things better

Hearing Dixon's comments, it sure sounds like his bags were packed well before the Tar Heels' season came to a close, as you have to wonder if he was really fully focused on the team he currently was on in Chapel Hill.

Sure, NIL has made the world of college athletics a business, but the freedom to transfer at will via the transfer portal has also made sports (especially college basketball) a chaotic form of year-round free agency.

Unlike in the past, there's no motivation for players to stick to their original commitments, finding a way to improve their own game while helping their program reach a new level of success. The days of guys like Joel Berry II are long gone, as the new era of the sport is one that basically encourages athletes to "chase the bag," earning as much money as possible while not necessarily caring about the program who is currently spending money on them.

If the grass is greener elsewhere, this generation of players has been taught to explore it. Education, stability, and all the other aspects that used to define college athletics no longer matter, as the NCAA is now just a minor league organization that forces students to attend class while they compete in their respective sports.

Yes, tampering is very much a thing. Tommy Lloyd and his staff just happened to get called out by one of their newest recruits.

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