The NCAA and Power 5 conferences in two bold moves last week improved the welfare of student-athletes, who are now provided more time and information before making a jump to the pros.
Thanks to legislation passed last week at the NCAA convention, student-athletes can now make an informed choice of continuing their education vs. trying the pros with the allowance of agent interaction in baseball and the ability of underclassmen to have one more month to work out for NBA teams before deciding to declare for the draft. Coaches and administrators adopted the new rules focused on what is ultimately the best for the student-athletes.
Imagine if in the past, young, unassuming basketball players were afforded more of an opportunity to make a wise decision of whether to declare for the NBA draft or not.
The rule adopted by the NCAA last week allows basketball players who are not seniors to try out for NBA teams, receive a draft grade and then decide on returning to college, a drastic shift from the past, when players had to declare for the draft before the NBA combine and in doing so renounce future college eligibility.
The rule also moves back a month, to late May from late April, the deadline by which players must commit on not returning to college.
As is the case every year, many early entrants in the NBA draft are not selected. That happened last year with high-profile players such as Cliff Alexander, Michael Frazier, Brandon Ashley, Aaron Harrison, Chris Walker and Christian Wood. If this year’s rule was in effect last year, perhaps many of these players would be in college today, improving their stock while continuing their education. Alexander has played in only seven games with Portland this season as an undrafted free agent. Harrison has played in only eight for Charlotte. Frazier, Ashley, Walker and Wood are toiling in the NBA Developmental League. All are uncertain of their future with the NBA beyond this season while their academics are on the backburner.
It is a sad reality that these players and many others in the past were not allowed to take the necessary time to make an informed decision that would impact their future. The NCAA held their future hostage by making them decide – NBA draft or not? – despite not providing them the adequate means and time for taking all of the necessary steps before making their life-altering choice.
The NCAA took a cold take-us-or-leave-us approach and many of these young pie-in-the-sky players opted for the lure of the NBA instead of hitting the books and playing in college for at least another season. Those who did not make it became a laughingstock and were ridiculed for making such a hasty decision that was not entirely their fault.
Now prospects such as Ashley, Walker and Wood have no excuse because college players going forward should have an adequate read of their draft status after working out for NBA teams and receiving feedback directly from scouting personnel. If they decide to go pro although they know they may not be drafted, that’s on them. With the recent legislation, the NCAA has done what it can to help them come to the best decision.
Former Oklahoma State athlete Andrew Oliver
In another necessary move, the Power 5 conferences voted 75-2 to allow agent interaction with baseball prospects during the negotiating process with professional teams.
This move was likely made more to avoid additional lawsuits. Former Oklahoma State lefthander Andrew Oliver sued the NCAA and settled for $750,000 after he was suspended in 2008 for allegedly allowing an agent to negotiate with the Minnesota Twins two years previously when he was drafted in the 17th round out of high school.
With the new rule, high school draftees must pay the agent’s going rate and may not receive any additional benefits. If they do not sign, they must terminate their relationship with the agent before enrolling in college.
As noted in a July article in CollegeAD.com, this move alleviates the concern of a baseball player and his parents being in a no-win situation. Before, they were at a disadvantage securing a long-term contract and signing for less than their value because of their lack of knowledge of the market and how to negotiate with professional teams. This move could be a victory for college administrators and coaches as well because some players may not sign with professional teams now with agents scrutinizing contract offers. If that happens, the player will attend school and compete for the coach who recruited him.
Of course, the agent stands to lose more money as a kickback from the athlete’s pro contract if negotiations stall. Agents will work diligently to get the high school graduates into the pros. But not all might be successful.
The bottom line is the student-athletes will ultimately get what they deserve instead of jeopardizing their future because of the NCAA’s cutthroat rules of the past. At least now the NCAA can say it has done its part to assist athletes whereas in the past the governing body showed no compassion for those youngsters who actually fuel their operation.
Featured Image: Former UNLV athlete Christian Wood
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