For the first time in a long time, the NCAA has done something right.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has been outspoken about the unfortunate direction that the NCAA has been headed. With the NIL market being unchecked and the transfer portal acting as free agency, college sports have been in a dark place for the past few years.
Izzo has gotten burned by the craziness of NIL deals and he’s lost several key players to the transfer portal unexpectedly like Tre Holloman and Divine Ugochukwu — who both chose to play for the same snake-oil salesman in Will Wade. Coaches like Wade have been taking advantage of the system for years and it feels like he hasn’t learned from the situation that got him in hot water originally.
On Thursday, Izzo got something to go in his favor for the first time in what has felt like forever. The NCAA is looking to enforce a new guidance on international pros coming to play college basketball.
We don’t know when this will be enforced or if it’ll be more of a blanket enforcement of a case-by-case situation, but it looks like the NCAA is no longer going to tolerate overseas pros from exploiting a loophole to play college ball. There was already talk of an age limit or the five-year eligibility window which could start at the age of 18 which could also eliminate some of these older overseason professionals.
While the specifics are unclear, this is the first positive step that the NCAA has taken to protect student-athletes who have seemingly been overtaken by legitimate pros.
This means that a team like LSU would fall apart after landing several players from professional basketball teams overseas. It’s never a bad day when Wade is checked.
The next step for the NCAA is clear
This feels like a great first step for the NCAA pertaining to the out-of-control nature of programs exploiting loopholes to land professional athletes.
Izzo has been critical of coaches who have exploited this loophole and several of his colleagues, too, have spoken out against the new wave of G-Leaguers and former draftee who have decided to give college basketball another shot. That shouldn’t even be considered acceptable and this international guidance by the NCAA kind of sets the stage for an “any player with professional experience is no longer eligible” rule.
Don’t mess this up, NCAA. You made one positive move and finally have some people on your side, so now it’s time to rid the NCAA of G-Leaguers players who were once drafted.
An age limit wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
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