Heels' Williams: Parent-agent talks not uncommon

CHAPEL HILL -- North Carolina coach Roy Williams said he wasn't surprised to learn that forward Ed Davis' family had been in contact with at least one agent; he says it happens all the time. And he reiterated that it isn't an NCAA violation unless and oral or written agreement for representation is made between the athlete or family and an agent -- and in this case, he said, it hasn't been.

The subject came up during Williams' Friday news conference because on Thursday morning, Davis' biography briefly ended up on the website of Chicago-based PTA Sports Management, making it look as if the injured sophomore was ready to leave early for the NBA. Vincent Foster, founder of the agency, said someone hacked his site and that he had no agreement with Davis, although he had been in touch with the Davis family.

"I think it was something, that in their minds, was something harmless and something small,'' Williams said of the Thursday incident. "But if you are Ed Davis, a basketball player at the University of North Carolina, there is nothing small. And there is nothing harmless, and I think I brought that out to the team yesterday, and made sure they understood that.

"And I've had conversations with Ed and [his dad] Terry throughout the year, and after the season is over, we'll sit down and talk, and I'll give them my opinion, my recommendation, and they get to make the decision [about the NBA]. It was more educational than anything, because I really do believe it was something that was not nearly as big as it ended up being. But that's educational, too, because it tells you what this world is."

Davis, who broke a bone in his left (shooting) wrist earlier this month, is likely out for the remainder of the season. He is still considered a first-round draft pick. Terry Davis, Ed's father, told The News & Observer that his son had not yet made a decision about his NBA future.

Williams spoke with both of Davis' parents, and the agent, Thursday, and said that they made contact via a mutual friend in Richmond.

"It was questions about going through the process,'' Williams said. "I have that all the time -- all the time. People say, 'Do I need to be doing anything right now?' I have questions from the parents, questions from the agents. I'm not up real high on most agents' list, but there are some guys that are very, very reputable that let people know what's going on and operate through the front door. And I'm not saying this guy didn't; I wouldn't know him if he came in and sat down in front of me.

"... This stuff, sharing information or getting information, people do it all the time. Baseball, people negotiate: 'If you'll give me one more dollar, I'll come. If you don't, I'll go to college.' Well, you can't do that at our level. So parents see baseball players doing it, see football players doing it, and they have questions. I had discussions with Tyler Hansbrough -- just to use one of the perfect kids, use him as an example -- I had discussions with him and his family. It's something that goes on all the time."

-- Robbi Pickeral