College basketball could face significant changes starting this week
A special NCAA commission tasked with fixing the embattled sport of college basketball is scheduled to issue its recommendations on Wednesday morning.
The group was formed last fall after federal prosecutors charged 10 people — including four assistant coaches — in response to allegations of bribes and kickbacks meant to steer recruits toward specific schools, agents and shoe companies.
USC, Arizona, Auburn and Oklahoma State have been ensnared in the wide-ranging investigation, as have the basketball programs at Louisville and Kansas.
“I expect the proposals will be strong,” NCAA President Mark Emmert told the Associated Press.
Condoleezza Rice, the former secretary of State, heads the Commission on College Basketball, which will deliver its report at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis.
The commission is expected to focus on the NBA rule that prohibits high school players from jumping directly to the pros, thereby forcing them to play a “one-and-done” season in college.
In a separate report issued recently, a Pac-12 Conference task force recommended working with the NBA to abolish the rule because “one-and-done” players are seen as more likely to commit NCAA violations.
Other potential issues include changing the college game’s working relationship with club basketball, shoe companies and agents.
Any commission recommendations would need to go through a series of bureaucratic stages, but legislation could be ready for final consideration by August and be implemented in time for next season.
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