Courtesy of Pac-12 Media
SAN FRANCISCO – The Pac-12 Conference announced today the recommendations of its Task Force, formed in the wake of federal indictments announced last fall, which propose unprecedented reform of collegiate basketball, including an end to the “one and done,” tougher enforcement independent from the NCAA, and sweeping changes to rules governing recruitment.
The recommendations of the Task Force were included in a detailed 50-page report, “Men’s Basketball Task Force Report & Recommendations,” available here at Pac-12.com/taskforce, and approved unanimously by the Pac-12 presidents and chancellors this past Saturday. They have been sent to the NCAA Commission being chaired by former Secretary of State (and Stanford University Provost) Condoleezza Rice, which is looking into the same college basketball issues. The proposed reforms, intended to improve compliance and reduce abuses associated with the influence of commercial third parties, fall into four groups: NCAA eligibility, NCAA enforcement practices, recruitment practices, and compliance education for prospective student-athletes and their families.
“The reforms proposed by our Pac-12 Task Force will help preserve the integrity of collegiate basketball and provide the choice, education and protection that our student-athletes deserve,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott. “We look forward to working with the NCAA Commission, our fellow conferences, the NBA and its Players Association, and other key stakeholders to bring about this much needed change.”
“Now is the time to step up and make changes to both restore trust in our game and protect the best interest of our student-athletes,” said Dan Guerrero, UCLA Athletic Director, former chairman of the NCAA Selection Committee for the Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament and a member of the Task Force. “We need to reform our rules, strengthen their enforcement, and rebuild confidence both in the integrity of our sport and of the educational mission of our universities.”
The task force includes experienced experts in all aspects of collegiate basketball, including several Hall of Famers, former student-athletes, a faculty representative, and more. The full list of members, and the groups it consulted with during its deliberations, is included in the report.
Task Force Recommendations
Among the Task Force’s recommendations are:
End “One and Done,” and Preserve Eligibility of Athletes Who Are Drafted but Don’t Sign: The Conference calls on the NBA to end “one and done” by dropping its ban on drafting athletes directly from high school, and at the same time refrain from drafting those players who do choose college until three years after their high school graduation. The Conference believes that this will reduce the incentives to engage in behavior that violates NCAA rules, enable those who have the opportunity to play in the NBA after high school to do so, and help ensure that those young people who come to college genuinely want to engage as students. This is similar to existing rules in baseball and other sports. Together with that recommendation, the Conference urges that the NCAA change its rule so that, again similar to baseball, a drafted athlete can decline to sign – with the advice of a competent and certified agent — and retain his NCAA eligibility.
Create a New Enforcement Unit Independent of NCAA: The Conference believes decisive steps must be taken to ensure strong and even enforcement of these new rules as well as existing ones. It recommends creation of a new unit independent of the NCAA to conduct investigations and pursue major violations. It also suggests separation of the various enforcement roles – investigative, adjudicative, and punitive – and more investment in the resources available for enforcement.
Take Control of and Regulate Recruitment Process: The Conference recommends shifting the recruiting process away from independent tournaments run by shoe/ apparel companies and other promoters to new regional “combine” events to be co-sponsored by the NCAA and other organizations. It also recommends changes in the rules governing campus visits to create more transparency over who pays for them and to reduce the incentive for improper payments by third parties.
Fully Disclose Shoe/Apparel Deals: The Conference calls for full disclosure of the terms of shoe and apparel contracts with coaches and universities.
Provide Access to Professional Agents and Strengthen Education: The Conference calls for the development of educational programs aimed at ensuring youngsters and their families don’t – either through inadvertence or poor advice – squander their chances for a potentially life-changing scholarship. In support of this, the Conference recommends educational programs for young players starting in their sophomore year of high school, and access to professional guidance from agents. It also recommends establishment of a mentorship program for elite high school players, whose families are often overwhelmed by pressures from agents, shoe companies, recruiters, and others.
In addition to these and other recommendations, the Task Force identified a variety of practices it believes institutions can take to strengthen their compliance programs and help their student-athletes from running afoul of the rules, including guidance in their engagement of agents as they contemplate professional athletic careers.
“The Task Force can be very proud of this accomplishment,” Scott said. “They have produced bold, specific, and actionable recommendations in a very short time. I am confident that these recommendations will receive wide support, and we look forward to working with the NCAA and our colleagues across all sports to make these ideas a reality and restore public confidence in the great game of college basketball.”
