Good luck convincing Cooper Flagg to turn down the NBA for 3 years to stay in college
So he leaves for the NBA and makes the time to finish his degree in the future?
Listen I agree the players at 17-18 would hate the idea of someone holding their money BUT back in the day my mom would have loved this idea and I can't imagine moms today wouldn't love this. The money being held could almost be like a long term investment, earning interest, and if they wanted it they just had to graduate from the school that committed to them as they did the same. Didn't matter if it was using their athletic eligibility or coming back after a 1/5/12 year NBA career. Going to the NBA wouldn't void the funds, transferring would.
I still like it as a concept. I'm aware it has major holes. 3 years ago players didn't legally get paid at all. What we've done now needs to be changed in some significant way, it's killing college sports for now and as we are starting to learn it will have a negative impact on the professional level with players being able to make more money staying in college. If you think the powers that be are going to let the players have the power to dictate who can and can't draft them with threats of just staying in school long term you are lying to yourself.
The rate we are going overseas leagues are going to become main stream in the long term because like the business world there will be less hoops and easier money with more opportunity, the big business model. See it or not by fighting over "power" we are creating other spaces for the product. Both sides need to understand that.....
Let them go pro out of HS, stop trying to force them to college when they don't want to go and are only going because they have to.
If they go to college incentivize them to stay in school but more so honor their commitment to a school that committed to them.
Reward them for graduating and bettering their future outside of sports.
Honestly these should be what we are focusing on if we want to see the product prosper. With that my thoughts are not the only solution or close to it.