IHSAA commissioner on Eron Gordon: 'As blatant of an athletic transfer as there's ever been'

Indiana High School Athletic Association commissioner Bobby Cox said Tuesday that the circumstances that led to the IHSAA's ruling of basketball star Eron Gordon as ineligible for the upcoming season are "extremely rare" though not unprecedented.

Gordon, a 6-2 junior-to-be, said last month he planned to transfer from North Central to Cathedral. Principals from both schools submitted paperwork to the IHSAA, recommending full waiver eligibility under IHSAA Rule 17-8.5 (a transfer without corresponding address change). The transfer form reads, in part, that "there is no athletic related motive surrounding the transfer."

Under normal circumstances, Cox admits, that is where the story would end. Of the 4,254 transfers processed by the IHSAA for the 2013-14 school year, 3,612 athletes (84.9 percent) were granted full eligibility. Another 326 (7.66 percent) were granted limited eligibility, meaning they were unable to participate in varsity sports for a 365-day period from their most recent game at their previous school.

Despite the recommendations from administrators at both schools, Cox said the situation demanded further investigation. He added that principals and athletic directors aren't "signing off" on a transfer, but making a recommendation to the IHSAA.

"We believe it's as blatant of an athletic transfer as there's ever been," Cox said. "I don't know the motivation behind the schools recommending what they did, but it's not what we discovered in making this ruling."

The Gordons have appealed the decision, which will be heard on Aug. 19. Eron is the youngest brother of Eric Jr., the 2007 IndyStar Mr. Basketball and current NBA player, and former Arizona State and Indiana guard Evan Gordon. Eron is a highly-sought recruit with scholarship offers from Indiana, Purdue, Arizona State and Nebraska. He was named to the Star's third team Super Team as a sophomore as he averaged 14.7 points and 4.4 rebounds.

Cox said the IHSAA's investigations into transfers involves "school administrators, coaches or anybody who would have information that would give us an indication of the motivation surrounding the transfer."

"Obviously this is a high-profile transfer and it warranted further examination," Cox said. "We have situations that come across our desks where both schools have recommended eligibility and there are no red flags. We trust our member schools to make the right recommendation. In this case, we came to the conclusion that the transfer was for athletic reasons.

"I think if you ask anybody in the city, you'd get the same answer. We have a duty to make a fair ruling. A good friend of mine says, 'If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.' I think that applies here."

Cox cited a "transfer for athletic reasons" in making the ruling, not "undue influence" on Cathedral's part. The latter is in place to keep schools from recruiting athletes.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.