Kings forward Chris Webber denied publicly allegations that he took took $280,000 from a former University of Michigan booster. Webber made the denial Saturday on ESPN Classic's "College Basketball Championship Road Show".

"There's no way in the world that I took $280,000 from someone," said Webber, who was in Atlanta for the Kings' game today against the Hawks. "I've said this a million times. We had to actually go to court to testify about it, so if the judge, if the lawyers, if everyone else respected it, I thought it would get out to the media outlets as well. So, no, I didn't take anything.

"And in no way do I want to mess up the name of college basketball, especially my university, the University of Michigan, which is the greatest university ever in the world. ... (And) I don't want to put a bad mark on my family's name, so as I said before, no, I did not accept the money. And how can you take the word of a criminal anyway?"

Asked if this matter continues to bother him, Webber replied: "You just have to stay yourself, and the truth will come out. If I'm sitting up here lying to you, the truth is going to come out. If I'm sitting up here telling the truth, it's going to come out. So, really, for me, it's just being patient, staying focused on winning a championship this year. And hopefully, everyone will see the truth, which will come out."

Previously, Webber said he didn't have to comment on a released federal indictment that accused Ed Martin, a retired Ford Motor Co. electrician and Michigan booster, of making loans to Webber, Robert "Tractor" Traylor, Maurice Taylor and Louis Bullock totaling more than $600,000.

"That's something people have been fishing and trying to get quotes on for 10 years," Webber told the newspaper after not speaking about the matter. "It's 10 years ago, you know what I mean? I've said too much by even having a quote on it. It's nothing."