A basketball player banned for life by the NCAA after a sports betting investigation went on Good Morning America and admitted to shaving points in games.

Dae Dae Hunter of the New Orleans Privateers puts up a shot during an NCAA game in November 2024. Hunter was one of several players banned by the NCAA for involvement in a sports betting scandal. Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images

Dae Dae Hunter, a former University of New Orleans guard, one of six basketball players banned by the NCAA, admitted he was part of a gambling scheme. Hunter and two New Orleans teammates – Dyquavian Short and Jamond Vincent – were among those who had their NCAA eligibility revoked. An Arizona State player, Chatton “BJ” Freeman and two Mississippi Valley State players, Donovan Sanders and Alvin Stredic were the other players

In sports betting, points shaving is when an athlete deliberately underperforms, such as missing shots in basketball, to manipulate sports betting in his or her favour, and to the benefit of people betting on the games, whether that’s prop betting, or betting on the under or the spread.

Players Manipulated Their Performance

In Hunter’s case, at least seven New Orleans games were under an investigatory microscope for suspicious behaviour related to sports betting.

“I did point shave,” Hunter told Good Morning America. “I did go out there and not do my best, basically shooting the ball and not actually trying to make it. I would make a couple, and miss a couple.”

Hunter said players had been approached by an unidentified bettor out of Las Vegas.

“I was money hungry,” he said. “Fast cash.”

$5,000 Payoff

Hunter added he wasn’t worried about not delivering for the bettor, that they were “95 per cent” committed to getting the job done, manipulating the games. The NCAA investigation revealed text messages between Hunter and Short where they discussed receiving $5,000 for their participation in the betting scheme.

Hunter said he needed the money to take care of a newborn child.

“The school wasn’t paying me money, so I was trying to get money to take care of my child,” he said. He admitted lying to the NCAA during the investigation.

“I was trying to lie because I thought I would get my way out of it,” he said. “Don’t follow my steps and don’t make the mistake I made.”

NCAA Investigation

As reported here, the NCAA announced in September it was investigating 13 former men’s basketball student-athletes for alleged violations of sports betting rules. The athletes competed at six schools at the time the conduct in question occurred.

The alleged behaviours include student-athletes betting on and against their own teams, sharing information with third parties for the purposes of sports betting, knowingly manipulating scoring or games outcomes and refusing to participate in investigations.

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