The men's basketball player at Southern Methodist University (SMU) central to the program's NCAA sanctions has spoken publicly on the matter for the first time.

Keith Frazier, a junior guard at SMU, told ESPN Thursday he had no idea he was even part of "academic fraud," as the NCAA termed the violation. He also said he felt "numb" when the NCAA handed down its punishment for the SMU men's basketball program, which included a nine-game suspension for head coach Larry Brown and a one-year postseason ban.

The NCAA found a former administrative assistant within the SMU athletic department responsible for taking an online course in Frazier's name with the intention of keeping him academically eligible to play basketball.

"I didn't even know what was going on," Frazier told ESPN. "I didn't know she was doing that class for me. I wasn't aware of that. I know it looks that way on the outside looking in, but I didn't know."

ESPN previously learned of Frazier's involvement in the scandal through an anonymous source that indicated his absence from the team in the second half of last season was related to the academic fraud. But Frazier told ESPN the NCAA cleared him to play this season about a month ago.

"The team has to go through all this and I'm in the middle of it," he said. "I feel for those guys. They had nothing to do with this. I feel for them and how it's affecting their lives."

SMU stated it is reviewing the NCAA's report and is considering an appeal. In its statement the school accepted responsibility, but criticized the NCAA for punishing players who likely had no involvement by keeping them out of any postseason play.

"The University is in agreement, as is Coach Brown, that he should have reported a conversation that occurred during the investigation to the Department's compliance office or other SMU officials," read the statement, in part. "However, the University disagrees with the conclusion of the Committee that Coach Brown failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance."