Jay-Z is a hoops fan, just with a lot more access than the rest of us. Because what doorman anywhere is stopping Jay-Z when he walks up?
Like the doorman at an NCAA tournament game. After Kentucky’s win over North Carolina Sunday to send them to the Final Four, Jay-Z was in the locker room congratulating the Wildcat players. Who were pretty thrilled to meet him (but may have preferred meeting Beyonce).
Except, as a minorty owner of the Nets, Jay-Z can’t have that kind of contact with college recruits, as Ken Berger reports at CBSSports.
Berger notes that Celtics GM Danny Ainge got fined $30,000 for having a conversation with Kevin Durant’s mother in the stands at the 2007 Big 12 Tournament. This was much more, he was in the locker room with a number of guys who could be in the NBA in a few years.
Now, Jay-Z wasn’t recruiting for the Nets, and he has little if any say in basketball operations for the team. He was not there on Nets business. It’s a perception thing and he’s going to end up paying for it. We’re also fairly sure he can afford it.
