The NCAA is in something of a crisis right now with the FBI’s investigation into a widespread pay-for-play scandal that focuses on Christian Dawkins and ASM Sports has shined a light on the prevalence of players and coaches violating the NCAA’s rules regarding players receiving benefits.
This investigation has an impact on the NBA as well, not because players that have taken money are in any way deserving of punishment but because it highlights how the “one-and-done” rule fails to account for the fact that guys are going to get paid somehow if they are a top prospect. The league is now revisiting it’s age limit and rules about who can enter the NBA Draft, and it’s possible the rule will be done away with in the near future.
While that is a win for players, there will be inherent risks for those that choose to forego college to try and get drafted. The biggest of those risks is that once you sign with an agent or simply go beyond the NBA Combine portion of the process, you can’t return to college to play. This is a direct result of the NCAA’s insistence on holding onto the ideals of amateurism, which this investigation is proving to be the sham most knew it was anyways.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr hopes any reform regarding NBA Draft entry rules will also coincide with the NCAA waking up and allowing those that go undrafted back into college, as he told reporters on Monday, via ESPN.
“Don’t keep this ruse going,” Kerr told reporters Monday. “We all know what’s going on. Let’s do what’s best for the kid and give them some options, and work together between the NBA and NCAA to find the right system. I think it’s entirely doable if you people just open their eyes.”
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“One of the things the NCAA needs to look at is, if a kid signs with an agent and he doesn’t get drafted, welcome him back,” Kerr said. “Why not? What’s the harm? We talk about amateurism and all this stuff, but if you’re truly trying to do what’s right for the kid, and the kid declares for the draft and doesn’t get drafted, you know what? Welcome him back. Do something good for the kids.”
The NCAA’s response will undoubtedly be that signing with an agent means the player may have received some form of payment or money upfront prior to the draft, but that really shouldn’t matter and the NCAA should be amending its rules regarding players making money off of their own personal likeness anyways.
Reform is coming and likely soon, and as Kerr says if the NCAA really wants to act as though they have the kids’ best interests in mind, this seems like an easy fix. There would have to be some other tweaks made to allow this to happen, namely with teams having to hold roster spots open at signing day (in April) to allow players to return after the draft (in late June) and the headache that would cause, but these are things that could be worked on if the NCAA cared to.
