UConn would have 4 loses w/ this one change.....

[Geno-ista]

If the goal is parity at any "cost" (including ignoring what the student/athletes want), then it's simple. Just do away with recruiting. Go to a draft. Bottom school (based on something - maybe Sagarin or Massey rankings) chooses first. Almost impossible that a team would get two superstars. You would have several EDD and Delaware situations every year.

Of course, player development to get to the next level would be pretty problematic (Though EDD showed she was able to rise above). But for the "parity first" crowd, that is a small price to pay.

My real thought on this though is that parity STILL wouldn't exist as obviously there are some MUCH better coaching staffs than others. I'm pretty convinced that Geno, Chris, Shea, and Marissa could take an average group of kids and have them perform at an above average level.

Not so sure about that last comment- unless you feel Jamal and Tanya are doing that already at Cincy & Temple?

 

[Icebear]

You could still have walk-ons that would not count against the scholarhsip limit. In this case UConn could have their ten players and then a few walk-ons in case of injury. Basically a limit like this would shift the balance of the team by exchanging a couple of good players with less talented ones. Even though UConn only plays with 9 scholarship players, having a hard 10 limit would definitely change the way players are recruited and teams planned. A five recruit class like Hartley and Dolson's for example would be a thing of the past, and teams that cast a wide net hoping some of them pan out would have to be a little more choosy. I'm not saying I agree with doing something like this, but it would pretty much be the only way to bring a little more parity to the game. Kind of like what happened when the NCAA reigned in the number of football scholarships to 85.

Walk-ons are no way to run an athletic program. They are unpredictable in quality and commitment. They will be vastly more uneven across programs than recruited talent. As injuries strike programs quality programs will not maintain the quality they put on the court for whole seasons and it will therefore undermine the development of other players, too, lacking sufficient players for effective practice. Fans will be demotivated to support teams therefore they will not create growth of the sport.

 

[uconnfan68]

It is also why Wooden was able to do what he did and no men's coach will ever come close - he got the dominant player every couple of years and was able to keep him for 3 years of varsity play plus a freshman year of coaching.

Well he had Alcindor/Jabbar for 3 and Walton for 3... but I can't name a dominant big in the other 4. Wooden won with small ball too.

 

[Icebear]

Sven Nader.