NCAA basketball changes: Undrafted players can return to school
- by Cecil Buchanan
- in Sports
- — Aug 9, 2018
"This change is effective if/when the NBA and NBPA make an expected rule change, which would make undrafted student-athletes who return to college after the draft ineligible for the NBA until the end of the next college basketball season", the NCAA wrote.
Included in the announcement was a radical change allowing top high school and college players to hire agents while remaining eligible for college play. While that may seem like a big deal on its face, the fact that it's. But USA Basketball, according to Wojnarowski, doesn't have the interest or resources to carry out that task.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver previously hoped that it could have a firm rule in place allowing high school talent to cross over to the NBA by 2020, but given the NCAA's lead on the matter, it's now much closer to becoming a reality.
More news: Veterinarians ready for efforts to save ailing orca whaleAll player-agent relationships, however, must be in writing, disclosed to the NCAA and ended when the player comes back to school. The problem is the NBA and NBA Players' Association have not reached a consensus of their own on the change, NBA spokesman Tim Frank acknowledged.
Division I schools will be required to pay tuition, fees and books for basketball players who leave school and return to the same school to complete their degree.
The new rules also allow for more official visits beginning just prior to a high school player's junior year.
More news: New York City votes to cap Uber, Lyft vehicle licensesUniversity presidents and chancellors will also now be personally resposible for their athletics programs abiding by the NCAA's rules. The NCAA is establishing a fund to assist schools in this endeavor.
The rule changes are a part of the NCAA's reforms in response to the college hoops corruption scandal.
No schools were mentioned, but two Federal Bureau of Investigation reports, one in September and another in April, have identified recruiting practices that violate NCAA rules involving prospects who wound up at several schools, including Kansas.
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