A former West Chester and Temple basketball coach placed hundreds of bets for more than $175,000
One university is on probation after the NCAA investigated the bets by former Owls guard Khalif Wyatt.
A former Temple guard who worked on coaching staffs at two Philadelphia universities placed hundreds of bets on professional and collegiate games while he was a volunteer coach, the NCAA revealed.
Khalif Wyatt, who served as an assistant volunteer coach for the men’s basketball team at West Chester University from July 2022 to spring 2023, placed 498 bets on professional and collegiate games between July and November 2022, totaling $176,326, according to the report released Thursday.
None involved West Chester teams.
Wyatt, who worked as a director of player development at his alma mater Temple before moving to the Long Island Nets in the NBA’s G League in September, declined to comment.
As part of the NCAA’s penalty, Wyatt was suspended from 15% of the regular season during the first season of his employment if hired by any other NCAA member. He would not be able to participate in coaching activities during that period.
What does the violation mean for West Chester?
The NCAA began its investigation in 2024, when it was investigating another men’s basketball team. During that inquiry, sportsbook operator FanDuel reported Wyatt’s gambling. West Chester did not provide sports betting education to Wyatt, a volunteer coach, until 2023, according to the report. The NCAA found the university also responsible for Wyatt’s gambling.
The university was fined $2,500 and is on NCAA probation until December 2026.
A spokesperson for West Chester said, “Though the infraction was committed by a former short-term volunteer,” the school complied with the NCAA’s sanctions. It has further strengthened its compliance education, the spokesperson said.
Temple did not respond to a message seeking comment.
Who is Khalif Wyatt?
Wyatt, 34, grew up in Norristown and attended Norristown Area High School. He was a standout guard at Temple, where he helped the Owls earn two Atlantic 10 titles and NCAA Tournament appearances in four consecutive seasons.
He finished his career with 1,576 points, 295 assists, and 273 rebounds and was named Atlantic 10 and Big 5 Player of the Year. He remains the program’s all-time leader for most 30-point games (seven) and is one of three Temple players to score more than 30 points in two NCAA Tournament games.
After his college career, Wyatt spent nearly a decade playing overseas in China (2013-14), Israel (2014-19), and the Philippines (2019-20).
Where has he coached?
Wyatt was named to Temple’s staff as its director of player development in July 2023, after previously having served as an assistant coach at West Chester.
Wyatt spent two seasons with the Owls before leaving for a job with the Brooklyn Nets’ G League team as a video coordinator this offseason.
Wyatt told The Inquirer in 2023 that he had hoped to be a Division I head coach or work in the NBA.
What is the NCAA gambling policy?
The NCAA bans student-athletes, coaches, and athletics staff members from participating in all sports betting activities, regardless of sport or division — including professional sports.
In late November — after six college men’s basketball players had their eligibility revoked over allegations of sports betting — the NCAA rescinded a rule change that would have allowed student athletes to bet on professional sports.
Are there other local college betting incidents?
Former Temple guard Hysier Miller, who overlapped one year with Wyatt on the Owls’ staff, is permanently ineligible to compete in the NCAA after having placed dozens of bets, including some against his team, during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.
The Neumann Goretti graduate placed 42 parlay bets totaling $473 on Temple games, and three of those were against his team.
Former Temple special assistant coach Camren Wynter and former graduate assistant Jaylen Bond also violated NCAA rules by betting on professional and collegiate sports. Their bets did not involve Temple.
According to the NCAA, both coaches received one-year, show-cause orders, a penalty in which any new hiring school would have to appear before the NCAA Committee on Infractions to state why it shouldn’t face discipline for hiring the coach, and a suspension of 10% of regular-season contests during his first year of employment.
In late November, Temple president John Fry and athletic director Arthur Johnson wrote in a statement that the NCAA found no evidence of point shaving or wrongdoing by the university.