An NCAA legislative committee on Monday upheld two previous decisions regarding potential rules violations involving Miami junior Dewan Hernandez, Hernandez's attorney said.
The NCAA originally determined that Hernandez, who formerly went by the name Dewan Huell, had entered into an agreement with Christian Dawkins despite having no written contract, sources told ESPN. Dawkins, who worked as a runner for NBA agent Andy Miller but was looking to start his own agency, was one of three defendants found guilty of fraud in October's trial into college basketball corruption.
A membership committee upheld the ruling in early January.
Hernandez responded to the latest development in a tweet Monday evening.
I do not understand why other individuals that were implicated continue to compete, while I am being punished. I have sat out 16 games... Why me? No worries though, God has the last say so 🙏🏽#freedewan
— Dewan Hernandez (@DewanGoesFor_20) January 14, 2019
The next step for Hernandez and Miami is to submit paperwork to the student-athlete reinstatement committee in hopes Hernandez can play this season. The school is expected to do that on Tuesday morning.
"I'm truly discouraged by the outcome of this final legislative appeal but remain optimistic that Dewan will play this season," Jason Setchen, Hernandez's attorney, told ESPN. "What it ultimately will come down to is whether the student-athlete reinstatement committee takes all of the relevant factors into account when considering mitigation. I do not believe that it is fair to Dewan that he has been singled out, and we hope the committee will make the right decision and lets Dewan play this season.
"We don't agree with the findings of the legislative committee, but the university is bound by those findings," Setchen added. "I believe there is a bona fide basis for mitigation to support a determination that Dewan be deemed eligible this season."
An answer from the committee is expected by the end of the week, sources told ESPN.
ESPN's Mark Schlabach reported in early November that Hernandez was one of 19 players listed by Dawkins in an emailed business plan. The plan shows Dawkins planned to pay Hernandez $500 per month from September 2017 through January 2018, then $1,000 per month until April 2018.
If Hernandez had left Miami after last season, he wouldn't have had to pay the money back, according to the email. The payments would have been converted into a loan if Hernandez returned to Miami for his junior season.
There was no evidence in the email that payments were made, or that Hernandez had knowledge of the plan, and a source told Schlabach that Hernandez did not agree to any sort of payment structure.
Hernandez, a former five-star recruit and McDonald's All-American, has been held out of competition since the start of the season by coach Jim Larranaga. He averaged 11.4 points and 6.7 rebounds last season.