The Duke DUI story has so many layers

[Russ Smith]

2 Duke scholarship basketball players were pulled over. The driver was charged with DWI, running a stop sign, and drinking under age, he's 20. The passenger is the registered owner of the 2017 jeep and he's charged with aiding and abetting as he let the drunk guy drive because he was too drunk to drive himself.

The driver is Mike Savarino, Coach K's grandson, his oldest daughters son. He's on scholarship despite Coach K being a multi millionaire, and he barely plays so that alone seems bad. The passenger is star freshman Paolo Banchero a likely lottery pick. The car is a 2017 jeep so nobody seems to think that's an issue it's not like Duke bought a recruit with a 4 year old car. But there's apparently rampant speculation that Banchero was actually driving and may have switched seats with Savarino and if that proves to be the case he'd be in LOTS of trouble.

To compound it apparently a couple of former Duke players have told the media, off the record, it was Savarino who got Covid last year and forced Duke to drop out of the ACC tournament effectively ending their season. So people on the team were already mad at him for that, then Coach K put him on scholarship, and now this story.

 

[Dback Jon]

I was hearing about this - and yes, under NC law, the owner of the vehicle is liable as well if they let a drunk person drive.

No surprise on Coach K being shady - he always has been a dirty, shady coach.

 

[Russ Smith]

Apparently several people who were where the players were prior to this insist they saw them leave and Banchero was driving so there's speculation he was actually the driver and they switched seats.

Also this: apparently the owner is a Duke booster. Not clear if he actually lives there or listed that address for some other reason.

You must be registered for see images attach

Of course he's not suspended he's playing in their next game

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Thankfully, they were stopped and didn't hurt or kill anyone. Neither should be allowed to drive a car for some time, IMHO. Driving impaired should have some real consequences.

 

[Russ Smith]

Thankfully, they were stopped and didn't hurt or kill anyone. Neither should be allowed to drive a car for some time, IMHO. Driving impaired should have some real consequences.

Yeah Coach K didn't play the grandson but played Banchero saying their circumstances were different, one was driving one wasn't. Completely ignores they're both underage and were apparently both drunk.

Also of note, Banchero was in the BACK seat when the police got to their car. There's some supposed eye witness accounts that say when they left wherever they were before this happened, Banchero was driving. He's 6'10" 250 pounds all I can say is if I wanted to switch seats to avoid getting in trouble and I was him, I'd slide into the backseat and let the passenger then move over. Of course he could have said I'm too drunk to drive pulled over, got into the back to lay down and then let the othe drunk kid drive too.

They are very lucky nobody got hurt and my guess is nothing will happen to either of them. The driver took the breathalyzer an hour after they were stopped and failed twice so seems unlikely they can plead it down he had an hour to sober up and still failed.

 

[Russ Smith]

As expected the car part of the deal is a nothing burger it's part of an NIL Banchero signed with CAA, the car is provided to him as part of an endorsement. Although it does appear that him allowing a teammate to drive it might violate the terms of the deal..

INteresting to note the same company that loaned Banchero that car made a customized corvette for... Henry Ruggs, the one he was in the accident in that killed someone.

 

[Dback Jon]

As expected the car part of the deal is a nothing burger it's part of an NIL Banchero signed with CAA, the car is provided to him as part of an endorsement. Although it does appear that him allowing a teammate to drive it might violate the terms of the deal..

INteresting to note the same company that loaned Banchero that car made a customized corvette for... Henry Ruggs, the one he was in the accident in that killed someone.

Stay away from that company...

 

[GatorAZ]

Coach K letting everything go in his final season.

 

[Russ Smith]

Coach K letting everything go in his final season.

intrigued to see Paolo against the Zags, he and Chet have played quite a bit in HS but it's different in college. Zags are so impressive so far. No Riley, several sick guys but I don't think UCLA could have stayed close to them anyways they were so good and made us so bad last night