Portals, Waivers, and Possible College Basketball Free Agency

[HHusky]

Just like College Football FBS began a recent "Portal" system (Oct. 15th) many believe College BB will follow suit with a true or near true "Free Agency " system soon. Coaches have long enjoyed free agency so why not
FBS level Basketball players? Why shouldn't the burden of proof fall upon the highly paid Coach or deep pocketed College instead of the individual athlete? Should programs have medical waivers for injured players and be able to replace that scholarship spot ASAP to keep the roster whole? (No mentioning any specific players allowed)

 

[upstater]

Just like College Football FBS began a recent "Portal" system (Oct. 15th) many believe College BB will follow suit with a true or near true "Free Agency " system soon. Coaches have long enjoyed free agency so why not
FBS level Basketball players? Why shouldn't the burden of proof fall upon the highly paid Coach or deep pocketed College instead of the individual athlete? Should programs have medical waivers for injured players and be able to replace that scholarship spot ASAP to keep the roster whole? (No mentioning any specific players allowed)

The rules were there so that the big programs couldn't easily snag the players they failed to recruit through scouting.

So--just to look into UConn's past--a kid like Emeka Okafor opens eyes wide back in 2002, and schools like Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky realize what a find he is. In 2003, Emeka moves on to play for Duke instead--they've got a great business school!

 

[Kathy]

No way - deal with what you are dealt. Where will these replacement players come from? Gonna start a college farm system?

 

[UConnStats]

Kids should have the free choice to go wherever they wish to play, but they need to figure out a way to stop 95% of MBB becoming the top of a funnel for Duke, UNC, UK, and Kansas.

 

[the Q]

Kids should have the free choice to go wherever they wish to play, but they need to figure out a way to stop 95% of MBB becoming the top of a funnel for Duke, UNC, UK, and Kansas.

I agree. My problem is how self righteous the. NCAA has been about claiming student first, but then you have issues like this that are athlete only.

Coaching changes should be automatic.

Josh fields (football) situation is a total joke. He couldn’t win the starting job, that’s not a reason to get a waiver.

But any solution goes closer to the old method of being able to block certain schools.

I mean I’m ok with a blanket rule for everyone that says anyone on the schedule for the next 2 or 3 years and that’s it. Prevents inter conference moves and some additional options.

That’s just off the top of my head through. I’d have to give it more thought for a fully developed concept

 

[UConnStats]

I agree. My problem is how self righteous the. NCAA has been about claiming student first, but then you have issues like this that are athlete only.

Coaching changes should be automatic.

Josh fields (football) situation is a total joke. He couldn’t win the starting job, that’s not a reason to get a waiver.

But any solution goes closer to the old method of being able to block certain schools.

I mean I’m ok with a blanket rule for everyone that says anyone on the schedule for the next 2 or 3 years and that’s it. Prevents inter conference moves and some additional options.

That’s just off the top of my head through. I’d have to give it more thought for a fully developed concept

I have no faith in the NCAA being able to do so, but they'd also really need to prevent coaches from other schools reaching out to kids before they decide to transfer, and punish the schools that do. Not easy to enforce this, but you can't have coaches telling kids they should transfer just because they're the best player on a team having a bad year. That would really kill parity, which is already lacking in CBB.

 

[the Q]

I have no faith in the NCAA being able to do so, but they'd also really need to prevent coaches from other schools reaching out to kids before they decide to transfer, and punish the schools that do. Not easy to enforce this, but you can't have coaches telling kids they should transfer just because they're the best player on a team having a bad year. That would really kill parity, which is already lacking in CBB.

Agreed. But unless you go full big brother. Not sure how you can stop it.

Even if you did, boosters would just get everyone burner phones

 

[HCope]

Maybe they could have a rule against immediate transfer to any school ranked in the top 25 that year, or a school that made the tournament the prior year. That could reduce poaching by the usual suspects while still improving the situation for students.

 

[UConnStats]

Maybe they could have a rule against immediate transfer to any school ranked in the top 25 that year, or a school that made the tournament the prior year. That could reduce poaching by the usual suspects while still improving the situation for students.

I wouldn't have an issue with that honestly, but I'm sure many would find this to be taking it too far.

 

[Purple Stein]

No way - deal with what you are dealt. Where will these replacement players come from? Gonna start a college farm system?

Paul Quinn College on the vanguard...

 

[billybud]

Maybe they could have a rule against immediate transfer to any school ranked in the top 25 that year, or a school that made the tournament the prior year. That could reduce poaching by the usual suspects while still improving the situation for students.

C'mon...can't go two directions at once.

Give a basketball athlete more choice of where he plays...oh, unless, that is, if you want to play for one of the better prorams.

 

[goskis2018]

Kids should have the free choice to go wherever they wish to play, but they need to figure out a way to stop 95% of MBB becoming the top of a funnel for Duke, UNC, UK, and Kansas.

They can go wherever they want they just have to sit out a year. It's a deterrent to prevent it happening to often and it makes sense.

 

[CL82]

Disagree. The school is investing a scholly + in these kids. With free agency, smaller colleges will become a de facto farm league giving underclassmen playing time so that they can be poached during they upperclassmen years.

 

[HHusky]

Random thoughts: How about any team NOT making the NCAA gets an extra scholarship the following season for the balance of the eligible career of the new player?
How about a medical waiver for injured player who can't play gets that school an extra scholarship at the next semester if the student athlete is passing and eligible?
I believe near true agency (with limitations to the school) is coming by a NCAA vote soon or by legal rulings.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Disagree. The school is investing a scholly + in these kids. With free agency, smaller colleges will become a de facto farm league giving underclassmen playing time so that they can be poached during they upperclassmen years.

I understand the push to make it easier for the (student-)athlete, to not require them to sit out a year, etc.

But you have to impose some cost on the school that's getting the transfer. In baseball, a team that signs a top free agent forfeits their first round pick. Maybe the transfer kid counts as 2 scholarships for their first year, something like that. Make it harder for a team to just poach and stockpile transfers.

 

[UConn Dan]

There has to be a solution here that works for everyone.

1) If a coach leaves/gets fired, player can transfer without restrictions and play immediately.
2) If a player averages less than average X minutes a game, player can transfer (with possibly some restrictions; eg not same conference) and play immediately.
3) Family/medical hardship waiver, player can transfer and play immediately.
4) If school is banned from tournament, seniors can transfer without restriction and play immediately (I believe this already exists).
5) All other transfers must sit out one year.

This protects the smaller schools from getting poached while allowing players that are unhappy with playing time or coaching change to move on.

 

[intlzncster]

Man, if you are looking to get money and glad handing out of MCBB, this ain't the way to do it.

It's just gonna be free agency, with great players going to the highest bidder--and the talent flows from lesser schools to better ones.

I don't think you can equivocate MCBB with CFB. There are so many more players in football, that subtracting a guy here and there does not kill a program.

Whereas in basketball, subtracting a guy can kill a season, even two, given the way recruiting works.

 

[billybud]

In football...Oklahoma has had two back to back Heisman Quarterbacks....both transferred in.

 

[tcf15]

Put transfer caps on each team. Only two transfers can be on your team at once. And if you take a grad transfer as a one-year rental, you take a scholarship hit for two years instead of one.

 

[HCope]

C'mon...can't go two directions at once.

Give a basketball athlete more choice of where he plays...oh, unless, that is, if you want to play for one of the better prorams.

My personal opinion is that they should be able to transfer and play where ever immediately. If a kid isn't happy they shouldn't have to stay put nor should they not be able to play the game they love for a whole year.

That being said, I think I'd be willing to compromise. This doesn't have to be an all or nothing situation.

 

[polycom]

Disagree. The school is investing a scholly + in these kids. With free agency, smaller colleges will become a de facto farm league giving underclassmen playing time so that they can be poached during they upperclassmen years.

So what the NBA and other pro leagues are doing right now with the NCAA.

 

[HHusky]

Random thoughts: How about any team NOT making the NCAA gets an extra scholarship the following season for the balance of the eligible career of the new player?
How about a medical waiver for injured player who can't play gets that school an extra scholarship at the next semester if the student athlete is passing and eligible?
I believe near true free agency (with limitations to the school) is coming by a NCAA vote soon or by legal rulings.

 

[CL82]

So what the NBA and other pro leagues are doing right now with the NCAA.

Yep but with more people taking a piece of the pie, the leavings will be even more scarce.

 

[HuskyHawk]

In football...Oklahoma has had two back to back Heisman Quarterbacks....both transferred in.

Now they might get a third

 

[HuskyHawk]

There has to be a solution here that works for everyone.

1) If a coach leaves/gets fired, player can transfer without restrictions and play immediately. [offseason only and player has 30 days to decide]
2) If a player [as a junior] averages less than average X minutes a game, player can transfer (with possibly some restrictions; eg not same conference) and play immediately.
3) Family/medical hardship waiver, player can transfer and play immediately.[No idea what this means. Medical issues aren't affected by your school]
4) If school is banned from tournament, seniors can transfer without restriction and play immediately (I believe this already exists).
5) All other transfers must sit out one year.

This protects the smaller schools from getting poached while allowing players that are unhappy with playing time or coaching change to move on.

Variations added to the above. I understand the need to look out for the interest of the players, but any player can leave any school at any time. They are students first, players second. Reasoning:
1) Transfers can't be allowed mid season if a coach is fired mid-season. Nor should the school be held in limbo for some long period waiting for the kids to decide and end up with no roster at all. If the coach is gone, make a choice. Are you there for the school or the coach.
2) lack of playing time needs to be expected for all freshmen and sophomores. If you're a junior and on the bench, fine, walk away. Nobody will miss them.
3) location isn't a hardship. If you want to go close to home due to some family issue, go ahead. You should probably be sitting out a year anyway under those circumstances.
4) I think it's a rule but how often did one of those players help cause the ban?