San Diego State basketball awaits NCAA decision on eligibility of European pros
The second session of summer school at San Diego State begins Tuesday.
www.sandiegouniontribune.com
Article above describes potential impact of new rules that came out May 8th on eligibility of foreign players, specific impact on those players participating in foreign leagues that receive different levels and types of compensation. San Diego State like other programs has moved towards recruiting more mature and experienced foreign players. The teenage player recruited out of a US high school seems is becoming the exception. The article also discusses the challenges with recruiting foreign players including the demand driving up the salaries. More cases for the courts to decide.
“…the NCAA guidance that hit inboxes on May 8 … still hasn’t been fully explained or resolved. The memo seemed to take a harder line on the recent influx of European pros, indicating the NCAA won’t clear those who “entered an agreement with, competed on or received compensation from a team that participates in a league with minimum compensation that exceeds actual and necessary expenses.”
“The question becomes how narrowly the NCAA defines “actual and necessary expenses,” which technically has always been there but wasn’t strictly enforced.”
“The NCAA also identified several international leagues in which participation by a prospect is likely to result in violations of NCAA rules and a loss of eligibility,” an NCAA statement to Sports Illustrated said, without specifying them. “The Association is modernizing the rule book in several ways to ensure college sports are played by college athletes and not used as a fallback for professional athletes.”
“The EuroLeague, the international competition with the continent’s biggest clubs, has a minimum salary of $50,000 and most players make significantly more, sometimes well into seven figures. The same goes for Liga ACB, the Spanish first division widely considered the best domestic league outside the NBA, as well as top leagues in France and Italy.”
“Age could be a factor as well. Sports Illustrated reported that eligibility will be evaluated on a “case-by-case basis” and consider how long a player received a salary worth more than actual and necessary expenses.”
The NCAA has discussed an age based model with the 5 year college career limit post high school. Legal challenges will certainly be made. The uncertainties are definitely impacting college programs not knowing who is eligible to play. It’s a mess.
