LSU Coach Denies He Gave Money to Former Player Steffond Johnson

Louisiana State basketball Coach Dale Brown on Thursday heatedly denied an NCAA allegation that he gave money to ex-LSU player Steffond Johnson, one of 20 charges the NCAA made on LSU’s basketball program.

“That is an outright lie,” Brown said at a news conference in Baton Rouge. “I think it’s a low blow. It’s 100% wrong.”

Said Johnson Thursday: “If coach Brown ever gave me any money as a loan, I don’t remember it.” Johnson, who finished his college career at San Diego State, is now a rookie forward for the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers.

Johnson is named five times in the allegations, including one that a physician performed tumor surgery on his mother at no cost. The NCAA also alleges that a car dealership provided Johnson with the use of a car at no cost.

Earlier this year, Johnson told The Times he was “scared” when he was first visited in San Diego by an NCAA representative, but has cooperated with the investigation.

“Contrary to what everybody believes, LSU is probably as clean as a program can be,” Johnson said earlier. “They have morals and ethics. If someone’s father is sick and his family is poor, Coach Brown won’t say it’s against the rules (to pay) to send him home. He’ll say that he can help. Nobody should interfere with that if a kid is in need.”