It probably means exactly what you think it might mean.
Nobody is gonna turn down free money. Especially since it’s kind of well established that “everybody does it”. Why would the #1 recruit turn it down when a hundred guys get money every year and nobody at that point was getting in trouble for it?The rivers weren’t exactly hurting for money though.
It was absolutely a joke. But there’s a little bit of truth to it and that’s why it was so funny.In all seriousness, Doc is pretty close to a lot of coaches (K and Roy included) so I would assume this was a joke.