UM forward Dewan Hernandez loses appeal, declared ineligible by NCAA
University of Miami forward Dewan Hernandez lost his appeal and was declared ineligible for the season by the NCAA, just hours before the Hurricanes’ conference opener against 18th-ranked North Carolina State.
Hernandez, a junior and the team’s leading big man last season, sat out the first 12 games of the season while the university and the NCAA reviewed his eligibility. His name surfaced in court documents related to the FBI investigation of shoe companies’ influence on college basketball. One of the defendants in the case, an agent runner named Christian Dawkins, mentioned Hernandez’s name in an e-mail in which he detailed plans to pay prospective pro players.
“I disagree with the determination made by the NCAA,” said Hernandez’ attorney, Jason Setchen. “In my opinion, they have implied facts and drawn conclusions without sufficient support in the record to justify such conclusions. It is very unfair to Dewan. I am discouraged by the decision. I genuinely believed they’d treat him fairly and reinstate him. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
“Coach [Jim] Larranaga and his staff were very supportive throughout the process. I am grateful that they stood by Dewan.”
There is one final appeal Hernandez can make, but he might choose to turn pro immediately and play overseas or prepare for the NBA Draft.
The Hurricanes (8-4) have sorely missed Hernandez all season. A season-ending injury to backup center Deng Gak means the UM team has been playing with a seven-man rotation.
This story was originally published January 3, 2019 at 4:59 PM.