NCAA changes H.S. eligibility rules

Prep players can declare for NBA, still play in college

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The NCAA relaxed its eligibility rules Thursday, allowing high school athletes to enter the NBA draft but still go to college as long as they don't sign with a team or an agent.

However, the board of directors tabled a measure that would have allowed top athletes to borrow $20,000.

The board tabled a measure that would have allowed high schoolers to play up to one year professionally while retaining college eligibility. That measure will not be debated again until at least August.

The new eligibility rule will become effective starting with this year's NBA draft. It matches the rules governing college underclassmen that were in effect before 1997. That year, the NCAA decided that any underclassman who is drafted loses his eligibility, whether he signs with an agent or not.

"I think it is a cautious step forward," said Ohio State president Brit Kirwan, chairman of the board. "I think the membership will keep revisiting the issue [amateurism] and will be making adjustments in the future."

The NCAA is in the process of redefining "amateur" because of the increasing amount of college players leaving early for professional drafts and the increase in high schoolers who are skipping college altogether.

In last weekend's NFL draft, 12 of the first 28 players chosen were college underclassmen. And in last year's NBA draft, four of the top eight picks were high schoolers. The only senior chosen among the top eight was Duke's Shane Battier. President Cedric Dempsey, who is retiring at the end of his term Jan. 1, said he wished the Management Council had sent more proposals to the board for approval but was hopeful more changes would follow.

"The $20,000 loan is still possible," he said. "Each of the divisions have different amateurism rules, with Division II having the most flexibility, then Division III, then Division I. I think they will have an opportunity to change that in the future."

The loan proposal came before the committee a year ago but was tabled because committee members said they wanted to see more of the amateurism package rather than implement parts of it then.

The NCAA defines top athletes by where they are projected to go in professional drafts in five sports -- men's and women's basketball, football, baseball and softball. The standards vary for each sport.

Another proposal tabled Thursday would have allowed high schoolers to head to the pros for a year, then sit out a year and enter college with three years of eligibility left.

But the most significant change involved high school basketball players.

"The thought was there should be an opportunity for a prospect to learn his or her value, like a student-athlete," NCAA official David Berst said in explaining the decision about the draft. "He or she is not in position to receive the same kind of guidance an enrolled student-athlete is."

The board also approved a measure that will allow college athletes to accept prize money if it does not exceed the athlete's travel expenses.

Another measure now allows high school or prep school athletes to have their educational expenses paid for as long as the money does not come from agents, athletic representatives or professional teams.

The "amateurism" package was only part of what the committee acted upon.

The board approved a proposal that will change Division I-A football requirements and adopted an emergency measure that allows schools to pay for medical expenses if a player is signed but not yet enrolled in classes. The rule applies primarily to football.

And it passed a measure that permits football teams with 6-6 records to qualify for bowl games this year. Previously, teams had to be at least 6-5.

The board also moved toward academic reform, asking the NCAA's Management Council to propose legislation that would help adjust the sliding scale of test scores and GPAs.

It also wants the Management Council to propose guidelines that would create incentives and penalties based on a sports team's academic performance. The penalties Kirwan discussed included loss of scholarships or eligibility for postseason play, although he said he didn't foresee changes for another few years.

"There is a strong consensus to have really significant penalties," Kirwan said. "Everybody I've talked to is on board with that, including the restriction on postseason play."

 

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