If you listen to sports radio on a regular basis, you probably know that Scott Van Pelt closes his show everyday with the “One Big Thing.” Well, this is all about college basketball’s “One Big Flaw.”
In college basketball, so much of what is done is based on what the NBA does. So, when the NBA does something big, the NCAA has to adjust. When the NBA starts playing with the rules, the NCAA has to adjust, etc.
When the NBA changes their age requirements, the NCAA has to adjust accordingly. Well, with the advent of the NBA allowing players to enter the draft after one year of school (instead of coming right out of high school or having to spend two or three years in school) the NCAA is dealing with lots of players who basically go to school for about three-fourths of a year. That’s all. So, it cuts into everybody’s action.
At some point, the NCAA needs to put its foot down and deal with the prospects of its students. I know I’ve complained about the inane rules that the NCAA has, but I would NEVER complain about this rule.
The NCAA needs to allow schools to ask players to sign a document when they commit to school laying out how long they plan on staying in school. A legally binding document.
Each school can choose the format of the document, and they can choose how long they want the terms to be. So, Duke could say you have to come to school for all four years or we won’t sign you, but UNC could say that you only have to sign for two. Others still could ask the player to list a number just to be honest with the school. But, the player has to stick to it.
I think it’s a win-win. It would be a rattlesnake, but it would be good for basketball.
photo credit: pinkorchid_too (Sandra)
