NCAA changes basketball rules about agents, the draft, punishments: What it all means
The NCAA gave itself a short timeline to make changes after the Condoleezza Rice-led commission to clean up college basketball announced its findings in April. The college sports governing body said it wanted to announce new rules before the school year started.
The NCAA met the deadline with Wednesday’s announcement.
Here are some conclusions from the NCAA’s changes intended “to promote integrity in the game, strengthen accountability and prioritize the interests of student-athletes over every other factor.”
Undrafted players can return to college
What it means: They can return but only if college players have requested an undergraduate advisory committee evaluation and have participated in the NBA combine. Neither is automatic, and this won’t impact as many players as you think. The NBA invited 69 players to the combine before the June draft.
Kansas guard Malik Newman would have qualified to return under this change. Newman went undrafted and signed with the Miami Heat earlier this week.
Also, players have until the Monday after the Thursday draft to make this decision. That’s a short turnaround time for an undrafted player to explore his pro options.
This will apply if the NBA and its players’ union make a rule change that would make undrafted players who return to college after the draft ineligible for the NBA until the end of the next college season.
Agents can contact college players and high school prospects
What it means: Effective immediately, college players can be represented by players’ union- and NCAA-certified agents beginning after any season, as long as they request an evaluation from the undergraduate advisory committee.
Agents will be able to pay for meals and transportation for players and their families during the agent selection process and for meetings with pro teams if allowed by state law.
The high school part of this change doesn’t apply until pro basketball allows high school players to enter the draft, ending the one-and-done rule. That could happen as early as 2021. And they have to be identified as an elite senior prospect by USA Basketball.
NCAA will accept help on investigations
What it means: From the NCAA: “People charged with investigating and resolving NCAA cases can accept information established by another administrative body, including a court of law, government agency, accredited body or a commission authorized by the school.”
Presumably, this includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which started this reform process with its announcement last September of the arrest of 10 individuals, including four assistant coaches, on various corruption and fraud charges.
With the rule change, the NCAA seemingly could accept the FBI findings as part of its investigation.
Also, under subtitle “Responsibility to cooperate,” the NCAA has further defined full cooperation, beginning Aug. 1, 2019.
“As a term of employment, school presidents and athletics stuff must commit contractually to full cooperation in the investigations and infractions process.
“Full cooperation means reporting violations in a timely manner, providing access to all electronic devices, social media and other technology and maintaining confidentiality.”
Stronger penalties
What it means: Postseason bans up to five years and head coaching suspensions that last longer than a year are on the table for rules-breakers.
This story was originally published August 8, 2018 at 12:22 PM.