From Phenom to Federal Indictment: The Rise and Fall of Antonio Blakeney
Antonio Blakeney’s basketball journey was once the stuff of highlight reels and high expectations. A five-star recruit, a McDonald’s All-American, and a scorer who once outdueled the likes of Jalen Brunson and Jaylen Brown on a national stage-Blakeney was pegged early as one of the next big things in the game. But now, that once-promising career has taken a dramatic and troubling turn.
Blakeney, 29, is at the center of a sweeping federal investigation into an alleged point-shaving conspiracy that officials say threatens the very integrity of college basketball. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Blakeney is among the key figures in a network accused of fixing more than two dozen games across at least 17 Division I programs, involving over 39 players.
That’s not just a scandal-it’s a seismic shock to the sport.
A Star on the Rise
Before any of this, Blakeney was a name on the rise. Coming out of high school, he was ranked as the No. 4 shooting guard in the 2015 class by 247Sports, ahead of future NBA stars like Donovan Mitchell and Dejounte Murray. He had the scoring chops, the athleticism, and the swagger to match.
In fact, his decision to de-commit from Louisville before his senior season arguably opened the door for Mitchell to shine there-a sliding doors moment in college hoops history. Blakeney instead chose LSU, teaming up with Ben Simmons under coach Johnny Jones to form one of the most hyped freshman duos in the country.
The expectations were sky-high. With Simmons and Blakeney leading the way, LSU started the 2015-16 season ranked No. 21 in the AP poll-their first preseason ranking since the Shaquille O’Neal era.
Blakeney averaged 12.6 points per game and earned SEC All-Freshman honors, but the team stumbled to a 19-14 finish and missed the NCAA Tournament. After a strong sophomore season that saw him named second-team All-SEC, Blakeney declared for the NBA Draft.
The NBA Window-and the Harsh Reality
Blakeney’s pro career started with promise. He went undrafted but signed a two-way deal with the Chicago Bulls and quickly made noise in the G League, where he averaged 32 points per game for the Windy City Bulls and earned G League Rookie of the Year honors in 2017-18.
He had the scoring touch-no question. But in a league increasingly focused on efficiency, versatility, and defense, Blakeney’s game didn’t quite fit the mold.
In 76 NBA appearances from 2017 to 2019, he showed flashes, including a 21-point outing against the Golden State Warriors where he outscored Kevin Durant. But his inefficiency (48.7% true shooting) and lack of playmaking (396 field goal attempts to just 432 passes in 57 games during his final season) ultimately led to his release in 2019.
From there, Blakeney’s career shifted overseas. He played in China, returned briefly to the G League during the 2020-21 season, and then headed back to the Chinese Basketball Association.
Most recently, he was playing for Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel, where he appeared in a game as recently as Jan. 11.
But behind the scenes, federal authorities allege, something far more sinister was unfolding.
Allegations of Game-Fixing and Recruitment
According to the FBI, Blakeney’s alleged involvement in the point-shaving scheme began while he was playing for the Jiangsu Dragons in China. Officials say he was recruited by Marvel Fairley and Shane Hennen to help fix games-and that he agreed, even going so far as to recruit others on his team to manipulate outcomes.
The allegations don’t stop there. Authorities claim Blakeney then transitioned into a recruiter role, helping expand the operation to target college players, particularly those at low- and mid-major programs. These were players, officials say, who stood to gain more from bribe money than from their limited NIL earnings.
The scope of the scheme is staggering: more than 29 games allegedly fixed, with over three dozen players involved. In one instance, federal officials allege Fairley left nearly $200,000 in cash inside a Florida storage unit tied to Blakeney-money said to be bribes and proceeds from the operation.
Even as these alleged activities were unfolding, Blakeney continued to play professionally. He returned to China for the 2023-24 season and then signed with Hapoel Tel Aviv, where he’s averaged 13.7 points per game this season for a team currently tied for first place in the Israeli league standings.
A Fall That Stuns the Basketball World
To say this is a stunning fall would be an understatement. Blakeney was once a symbol of basketball potential-an electric scorer with a flair for the dramatic.
He had the pedigree, the highlights, and the chance to carve out a long-term NBA role. But now, he faces the very real possibility of a federal prison sentence.
The allegations paint a picture of a player who, after falling short of NBA stardom, allegedly turned to the shadows of the sport. And if the charges hold up in court, it will mark one of the most significant point-shaving scandals in modern college basketball history.
It’s a sobering reminder of how quickly promise can turn into peril-and how the game, no matter how pure it may seem on the court, can be vulnerable to forces far outside the lines.