The NCAA announced on Wednesday some significant policy changes that will alter the landscape of college basketball, and they should be a step in the right direction for the future of collegiate athletics.
The most notable change is that “elite” high school and college players will now be able to have agent representation. It’s not exactly clear what criteria will be used to determine if a player has “elite” status, but Jeff Goodman reports that the initial proposal was that USA Basketball would make the determination.
In addition to players now being permitted to hire agents, said players will also be allowed to declare for the NBA Draft and return to school if they are not selected. The NCAA has also expanded the number of visits high schoolers can take to college campuses and will allow agents to cover certain expenses. You can read more about the significant changes here, but Twitter has already been set ablaze with reactions:
Wow- new NCAA college basketball rules seem modern and appropriate to me. High school and college players allowed to have NCAA certified agent, and able to return to school if undrafted. What do you guys think? Should it transfer to football?
— Olivia Harlan Dekker (@Olivia_Harlan) August 8, 2018
Definition of "elite" for NCAA agent representation will be determined in the comments section.
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) August 8, 2018
Wow NCAA is such a joke they pimp the hell outta their athletes and these new rules are a JOKE Ahahha PAY THE ATHLETES PERIOD.
— Fez (@Yess_SERG) August 8, 2018
I’d think the NCAA would have to change college football rule too. If you leave CFB early and aren’t drafted you should be able to come back too. Still messy though because way more would go early and see if they get drafted.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) August 8, 2018
WOOOOOW!!! This is great and RIGHT!!! Regulate the agents…let the kids come back for a degree! Yes NCAA!!!
— Joseph Brownlee (@TheTruthUNoLike) August 8, 2018
Ah, I see the NCAA made their money grab announcement today. So, their answer to 'cleaning up' youth basketball is to ADD agents, MORE shoe money, and a kickback to the NCAA. So, basically, the NCAA just wants high schoolers to be added to their free labor pool and more money.
— Marcus Shockley (@m_shockley) August 8, 2018
NCAA always thinking bout the . You can have an agent as College BBall player but he has to be "Certified by the NCAA". Cut the checks
— Hand Banana (@Im_ColdAF) August 8, 2018
I wonder how the introduction of agents for elite players will change the pristine reputation of the NCAA. Hate for anything to impact amateurism.
— Scott Howard (@ScottHoward42) August 8, 2018
Of course, everything the NCAA does is going to be met with a great deal of skepticism. It seems strange that the new rules regarding agents and draft status only apply to basketball, and that is likely something that is going to need to be addressed down the road. The FBI is still investigating widespread fraud involving payments to top college and high school basketball players, so this is likely an attempt to combat some of that.
