On Wednesday (Aug. 8), the NCAA announced changes that will alter athlete representation, and allow undrafted college basketball players to return to school.
USA Basketball will identify certain NBA Draft prospects as “elite.” Those players will be allowed to seek representation from an agent. Although there’s some confusion about that process, currently.
A USA Basketball official informed me they haven't had any substantive conversations at this stage about these changes, nor have they given their approval. It sounds like the NCAA will be designating who is considered an elite prospect. USAB will then run their camp for them. https://t.co/kcuruRS5EX
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) August 8, 2018
Prep basketball players would be able to hire an agent starting on July 1 — before their senior year of high school, if the NBA and NCAA allow prep athletes to enter the draft. (It’s early, but that’s something we could see for the 2022 draft.)
NCAA basketball says it will now allow "elite" high school and college prospects to be represented by an agent. NCAA will also permit players to return to school if unselected in NBA draft.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 8, 2018
Previously, draft prospects that attended the NBA combine had to withdraw from the draft no more than 10 days after the combine.
This year’s combine, which took place May 16-20 in Chicago, featured over a dozen ACC players. Of that group, nine were underclassmen. One player in that group of nine — Duke’s Trevon Duval — went undrafted.
Few, if any, undrafted prospects will use that as impetus to return to college basketball. They'll chase summer league roster spots/two-way/G-League. Undrafted this year means you'll probably be undrafted or a late second-round pick next year — and back in same precarious spot.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 8, 2018
However, undrafted players can return to school now, too, under this circumstance — from the NCAA:
College basketball players who request an Undergraduate Advisory Committee evaluation, participate in the NBA combine and aren’t drafted can return to school as long as they notify their athletics director of their intent by 5 p.m. the Monday after the draft.
Tyus Battle of Syracuse was the last ACC player to decide to return to school this season; his decision fell on May 30 — 10 days after the combine. The 2018 NBA Draft took place on June 21.
(Note: As the NCAA notes in its release, though: this is contingent upon the NBA and the Players Association making an expected to change — undrafted college players who return to school after the draft are ineligible for the NBA until the end of the next college basketball season.)
Worth another note, too
The impetus for these rules changes — other than simply evolution — comes, of course, from the FBI probe into corruption in college basketball. Also factored into the equation, per Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports: Darius Bazley’s decision to decommit from Syracuse, and go to the G League.
These new NCAA rules come on the heels of the FBI busts for several "rules" — now changed — and top high school prospect Darius Bazley decommitting from Syracuse to turn pro.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 8, 2018
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