The NCAA Sanctions Have Been Released and Guess Who Suffers

Recruiting and signing the Michael Beasleys and O.J. Mayos of the world can be great for a program but this positive also has a negative.

The NCAA has recently revealed it's APR (Academic Progress Rates) sanctions. USC basketball has lost 2 scholarships and Kansas State basketball lost 1 scholarship. When these top athletes leave for the NBA (one and dones), they have only went to school for 1 semester and are busy doing workouts for pro teams. These workouts result in them mising class. Why would these players care anyways? They are getting selected in the draft and getting millions of dollars from it. The colleges on the other hand are paying for it dearly. Lacking a greater number of scholarships means losing out on a chance to maximize a coach's ability to get a top recruit. Michael Beasley and O.J. Mayo have left their marks on Kansas State and Southern Cal.

The one and done idea is a stupid idea and I hope David Stern does not increase the number of years. The NBA should copy the MLB in the way they handle the amateur draft. The MLB allows players to enter the draft after high school but if they go to college they have to stay in school till at least their junior year. This may not be the ideal that Stern is looking for but it is certainly better than what he has set up.

The NBA is using college basketball as a free minor league system but the colleges suffer from it. This is taking away the student aspect from the idea of the student-athlete. Players have different reasons for leaving for the draft. For some, it is financial and others are legitimate superstars (Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, etc.) who are ready for the NBA and do not need the college game to develop.