Pac-12 Basketball Task Force Recommends Ending NBA’s One-and-Done Rule
By ALAN SNEL
LVSportsBiz.com
- End “One and Done,” and Preserve Eligibility of Athletes Who Are Drafted but Don’t Sign: The Conference calls on the NBA to end “one and done” by dropping its ban on drafting athletes directly from high school, and at the same time refrain from drafting those players who do choose college until three years after their high school graduation. The Conference believes that this will reduce the incentives to engage in behavior that violates NCAA rules, enable those who have the opportunity to play in the NBA after high school to do so, and help ensure that those young people who come to college genuinely want to engage as students. This is similar to existing rules in baseball and other sports. Together with that recommendation, the Conference urges that the NCAA change its rule so that, again similar to baseball, a drafted athlete can decline to sign – with the advice of a competent and certified agent — and retain his NCAA eligibility.
- Create a New Enforcement Unit Independent of NCAA: The Conference believes decisive steps must be taken to ensure strong and even enforcement of these new rules as well as existing ones. It recommends creation of a new unit independent of the NCAA to conduct investigations and pursue major violations. It also suggests separation of the various enforcement roles – investigative, adjudicative, and punitive – and more investment in the resources available for enforcement.
- Take Control of and Regulate Recruitment Process: The Conference recommends shifting the recruiting process away from independent tournaments run by shoe/ apparel companies and other promoters to new regional “combine” events to be co-sponsored by the NCAA and other organizations. It also recommends changes in the rules governing campus visits to create more transparency over who pays for them and to reduce the incentive for improper payments by third parties.
- Fully Disclose Shoe/Apparel Deals: The Conference calls for full disclosure of the terms of shoe and apparel contracts with coaches and universities.
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Provide Access to Professional Agents and Strengthen Education: The Conference calls for the development of educational programs aimed at ensuring youngsters and their families don’t – either through inadvertence or poor advice – squander their chances for a potentially life-changing scholarship. In support of this, the Conference recommends educational programs for young players starting in their sophomore year of high school, and access to professional guidance from agents. It also recommends establishment of a mentorship program for elite high school players, whose families are often overwhelmed by pressures from agents, shoe companies, recruiters, and others.
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