By Rafael Bandayrel
The NCAA announced landscape-altering reforms that will include allowing players to come back to school if they declare for the NBA draft but are not selected.
The college sports governing body announced earlier that governing that they are implementing a “series of significant policy and legislative changes” in an effort to “fundamentally” change the structure of NCAA basketball.
“Today was obviously a very important day for the NCAA and especially for men’s basketball, and … Division I,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said per the Associated Press.
The new rules state that players who participate in the NBA combine can return to collegiate competition “as long as they notify their athletics director of their intent by 5 p.m. the Monday after the draft.”
The NCAA’s current rule permits players to maintain eligibility if they withdraw from the draft 10 days after the NBA combine.
Currently, unselected players are compelled to pursue their career in NBA affiliate G League or overseas. The rule change, however, lessens the risk for bottom-tier prospects who would want to declare for the NBA Draft.
NBA policy states that players must be one year removed from high school to be eligible for the draft. This rule created the “one-and-done” arrangement in which prospects spend a year in college before advancing to the NBA.
Last month, Commissioner Adam Silver said that the league will likely amend its age-eligibility rule.
“I’m not here to say we have a problem,” Silver told the Associated Press. “And I love where the league is right now. But I think we can create a better system.”
