David Salinas, co-founder of the Houston Select AAU basketball team and an investment advisor to at least 10 college basketball coaches, died Sunday of an apparent suicide according to the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office.
Salinas, 60, was under investigation by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for fraudulent practices. It was first confirmed by CBSSports.com that Salinas had financial ties to former-Arizona head coach Lute Olson, Texas Tech head coach Billy Gillispie, Baylor head coach Scott Drew and Nebraska head coach Doc Sadler and former-Nebraska head coach Danny Nee.
Sadler brought Houston Select alum Alonzo Edwards to Nebraska and Nee recruited Louis Truscott, who transferred to UH after two seasons with the Cornhuskers.
Salinas’ AAU program produced nearly 100 college basketball players, eight of those played for UH.
Alvin Brooks III, the son of UH assistant coach Alvin Brooks Sr, is an alum of Houston Select and played with Truscott, but said that he never saw Salinas meddle with prospects.
“He didn’t press us on playing for a certain school,” Brooks said. “If you look, we all played at different places.”
