Three Fresno State Players Get Lifetime NCAA Bans for Betting
The NCAA has permanently revoked the eligibility of three former Fresno State college basketball players for violating college sports betting rules. Mykell Robinson, Steven Vasquez, and Jalen Weaver were banned permanently from the game after investigations discovered that they had manipulated games and bet on their own performances.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:According to the NCAA, the three players, who had transferred or been dismissed from their programs earlier in the year, orchestrated a scheme on daily fantasy sports platforms that yielded substantial payouts. A probe, conducted by the association, revealed that the players not only bet on their own games but also shared information and manipulated outcomes to influence prop bets, breaching NCAA ethical conduct standards.
The investigation began in February 2025 following self-reporting by Fresno State head coach Vance Walberg and alerts from a sports betting integrity monitoring service about suspicious prop wagers on Robinson.
Robinson and Vasquez allegedly exchanged text messages in January, where they agreed that the former would underperform in key statistical categories during a game against Colorado State on January 7. Together with a third party, they wagered $2,200 on the "under" for Robinson's stats on a DFS platform, securing a $15,950 payout when he delivered fewer points, rebounds, and assists than expected.
Robinson expanded the scheme by placing 13 additional DFS prop bets totaling $454. These included parlays on his own over/under lines and bets on teammate Weaver, whom he had communicated with about betting lines in December 2024. One such wager netted Robinson $618.
Weaver admitted to participating in the scheme by placing a $50 DFS parlay bet on himself, Robinson, and another player, winning $260 after scoring above his line in a December 31 game against New Mexico.
Vasquez, who had transferred to San Jose State before his dismissal, was implicated in the initial underperformance plot and related wagers but parted ways with his new program amid the scrutiny. A fourth player, Zaon Collins, faced separate allegations of betting on professional sports but was not part of the manipulation scheme and received no NCAA penalties beyond an indefinite suspension earlier in the year.
Strong Stance on Betting Violations
The case was reviewed by a three-member NCAA Committee on Infractions panel, including Oklahoma's Executive Director of Athletics Compliance Jason Leonard, Northern Colorado President Emerita Kay Norton, and former IU Indianapolis Athletics Director Roderick Perry. It underscores the NCAA’s zero-tolerance stance on gambling violations and serves as a stark warning to student-athletes about the lasting consequences of betting misconduct.
Under NCAA rules, student-athletes, coaches, and officials are prohibited from wagering on any NCAA-sponsored events or professional competitions, with 2023 amendments specifically imposing permanent ineligibility as the baseline penalty for game manipulation.
Related: Jontay Porter Receives Lifetime NBA Ban for Betting Violations
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Varied Responses and Similar Outcomes
The players' levels of cooperation varied significantly during the NCAA's enforcement process. Weaver fully participated in the investigation, acknowledging his role and agreeing to the violations outlined in the negotiated resolution.
I just made a bad decision, and I shouldn't even have gotten involved with that. Now, I'm obviously paying for it. I bet on a game I played in, but I never tried to sabotage the season. I never bet on us to lose, never bet my unders.
In contrast, Robinson and Vasquez refused to engage with investigators, informing NCAA staff they did not wish to participate in processing their cases. This non-cooperation likely contributed to the severity of their sanctions.
Fresno State, which initiated the self-reporting, cooperated fully with the probe. The university noted that Weaver and Collins were "being withheld from competition as the University reviews an eligibility matter." No institutional penalties were imposed on Fresno State or San Jose State, as the violations were attributed solely to the student-athletes.
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