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Missouri Kansas City has placed assistant coach Andre McGee on administrative leave and promoted director of basketball operations Conner Hampton to assistant coach in the interim.  McGee, a former staffer at Louisville is currently the focus of an investigation where it is alleged that he paid an escort to have sex with recruits while he was a member of Rick Pitino’s staff. These allegations stem from an upcoming book about Louisville basketball titled, “Breaking Cardinal Rules: Basketball and the Escort Queen.” In some excerpts released last week, the book claims that McGee hired Louisville stripper and escort Katina Powell to provide strippers and prostitutes for recruits and some of their fathers during a four-year period. head coach

UMKC head coach Kareem Richardson released the following statement:

“The allegations reported yesterday are a matter of serious concern. Like many, I am eager to learn the results of the investigations underway by UMKC, Louisville and the NCAA but we all need to allow the process to run its course without interference. In the meantime, our coaches and student-athletes are focused on academics and basketball as the season gets underway. We have promoted Director of Basketball Operations Conner Hampton to Assistant Coach on a temporary basis while Andre is on administrative leave. To keep our focus on school and basketball, we will not have further comment at this time.”

The school also released a statement on the situation:

“The University of Missouri-Kansas City is aware of today’s reports alleging wrongdoing by a current UMKC employee while he worked at another institution. UMKC is taking the allegations seriously and we have already initiated our own review of the matter. While we are conducting that review, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Andre McGee will be on administrative leave with pay, effective immediately.”

More on this story as it continues to develop.