Nerlens Noel is being investigated by the NCAA

Nerlens Noel was given royal treatment whenever he took his unofficial visits to colleges. Now the NCAA wants to know how the Kentucky-bound Noel funded those trips.

The person whose name is increasingly becoming linked with Noel is Chris Driscoll. A former employee with the highly successful Boston Amateur Basketball Club Driscoll is said to have established a close, personal relationship with the 6-foot-10 Noel, who began his high school career at Everett before transferring to Tilton in June 2010. In hopes of tying the two together, the NCAA reached out to Noel’s AAU coach, Leo Papile, to see if he knew anything. Papile, who recently referred to Driscoll as “the worst guy he’s ever dealt with in the game,” said he didn’t know anything

Another person of interest to the NCAA is Errol Randolph, a former Everett High employee. Randolph was employed at Everett and became very close to the Noel family

The saga began Tuesday when Smith and Cindi Merrill of the NCAA’s enforcement staff met with Everett High principal Louis Baldi and athletic director John DiBiaso for more than an hour in the hope of uncovering some answers. “They asked us not to divulge any details of the conversation,” DiBiaso said. “But we told them that Nerlens really isn’t around here much any more.”

Tilton basketball coach Marcus O’Neil said the school has not been contacted by NCAA officials yet but figures to hear from them at some point regarding their star player.

Controversy surrounding Noel, the prized recruit in a star studded class, is the last thing Kentucky wants. He is expected to step in and replace star forward Anthony Davis, who declared for the NBA draft after guiding the Wildcats to the NCAA title. A spokesperson for Kentucky executive associate athletic director DeWayne Peevy said it is the school’s policy not to comment on NCAA matters.