COLUMBUS - Hired seven years ago at least in part because of his reputation as one of the cleanest coaches in college basketball, Ohio State's Jim O'Brien was fired yesterday after admitting that he gave $6,000 to a player he recruited.

At a news conference in the Schottenstein Center, in the room where O'Brien usually held postgame media sessions, Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger announced that O'Brien had been fired "effective immediately."

"I am troubled that a rule was admittedly violated and it took us five years to find out about it," said Geiger, who frequently championed the honesty of his basketball coach as the Buckeyes struggled through a 14-16 season last year.

Geiger said he has named associate head coach Rick Boyages as interim head coach until the

search for a new coach is completed.

Geiger said he first learned of a potential problem in August of 2003 when O'Brien told him about a lawsuit filed by former Ohio State player Boban Savovic by a woman who said she provided housing, meals and clothes Savovic, who played for OSU beginning in the 1998-99 season.

"He told me that he did not think [the lawsuit] would be significant to the university, and he assured me he would keep me informed," Geiger said.

Geiger said he didn't hear more about the suit until a person - whom he did not identify - told him on March 18 about a lawsuit that "could cause problems for Ohio State men's basketball."

On that day OSU obtained a copy of the lawsuit, filed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court by Kathleen Salyers. The reason for her lawsuit still is not clear.

Geiger said that on April 24 O'Brien told him that he had given prospective basketball player Aleks Radojevic $6,000 in 1999 after Radojevic had signed a national letter of intent but before his eligibility was determined.

"I was stunned," Geiger said.

Radojevic never played for OSU because the NCAA determined that he had forfeited his college eligibility by playing pro basketball in his native Yugoslavia before coming to the United States.

O'Brien said he gave the $6,000 to Radojevic because his father had died on Sept. 8, 1998, his mother couldn't work because of a disability, and he has two sisters and a brother, according to Geiger.

Geiger said O'Brien informed him of the payment because he was "certain that it would be disclosed" as part of the lawsuit that Salyers filed.

Geiger said he had asked O'Brien whether the coach was aware he had violated NCAA rules.

"He admitted he knew that he did," Geiger said.

Asked if the money came from O'Brien or OSU, Geiger replied: "My understanding, it was not the school's."

On May 18, OSU reported the violation to the NCAA, Geiger said.

"In reviewing the relevant NCAA precedents and the pertinent legislation, it became clear that by giving Alex Radojevic money, coach O'Brien had violated significant NCAA rules and therefore could not continue in his position as head coach of men's basketball at Ohio State," Geiger said.

In response to questions from reporters, Geiger said the firing of O'Brien had no link to the basketball team's recent disappointing seasons.

Geiger said O'Brien offered to resign a few weeks ago, and also was given that option yesterday, but he chose not to do so and was fired.

O'Brien released a written statement: "I am advised that my firing is because I was asked to and tried to give assistance to a young man's family who was in dire financial straits. The assistance in no way influenced the young man in his decision to attend OSU and, indeed, the young man did not enroll at OSU."

The reason for that, however, is that the NCAA ruled that Radojevic was not eligible to play college basketball because he had taken $13,000 to play professionally in his native Yugoslavia.

OSU President Karen Holbrook aid she was "shocked and saddened" when Geiger told her of the events that led to O'Brien's firing. She said Geiger had acted "appropriately and expeditiously."

"It is of paramount importance that Ohio State maintain its core values of academic excellence and ethical conduct," Holbrook said in a written statement. "We are committed to clear, strong leadership on integrity in all academic and athletic endeavors. This principle is our guide as we see our way through this matter."

Kay Hawes, an associate director of media relations with the NCAA, said the NCAA is investigating O'Brien and the Ohio State basketball program.

"The NCAA enforcement staff has been alerted to the situation by Ohio State University and is working with the Ohio State athletic staff to investigate.''

O'Brien's contract - which paid him more than $850,000 per year - specifies that the university can fire him for any NCAA violations.

O'Brien, 368-305 in 22 years as a head coach, came to Ohio State in 1997 from his alma mater, Boston College. He had also been a head coach at St. Bonaventure. O'Brien took over the Buckeyes from Randy Ayers, who was fired after four consecutive losing seasons and NCAA probation for paying $60 to a potential recruit.

After going 8-22 in his first season with players, O'Brien led the Buckeyes to a 27-9 record as they made it all the way to the national semifinals before losing 64-58 to eventual national champion Connecticut.

The Buckeyes went 23-7, 20-11 and 24-8 the next three seasons, winning two Big Ten regular-season titles and a conference tournament title. Each team went to the NCAA tournament.

Last season, Ohio State missed the postseason for the first time in six years.

First Published June 9, 2004, 12:49 p.m.