Arizona Basketball: NCAA Commission on College Basketball misses the mark

College basketball committee looks at avoiding AAU and other corrupt circuits.

Yes, another no-brainer here. The committee recommends essentially remove power from those running the AAU circuit, an ungoverned and corrupt organization.

"With respect to the longer term, the Commission recommends that with a goal of 2019, the NCAA work with USA Basketball, the NBA and the NBPA and others to establish and administer new youth basketball programs. We would expect the NCAA to devote significant resources and attention to these programs. Briefly, the Commission proposes that youth basketball players be identified and developed at three levels: Level 1, players with National Team potential; Level 2, players with Highest Collegiate potential; and Level 3, players with Collegiate potential. At each level, players would have to be identified, developed and evaluated by appropriate stakeholders. Critically, that development would include not only basketball, but also academic and life skills, health and collegiate eligibility. One centerpiece of this program would be NCAA administered regional non-scholastic basketball events in July that NCAA coaches would exclusively attend."

It’s obvious the corruption grew out of what the AAU circuit has become. Apparel companies like Adidas, Nike, and Under Armour, sponsor teams and tournaments across the country. Agents and scouts can attend these events without any real restrictions.

A good example is recent information which came out regarding Marvin Bagley III. Investigative reports found Nike paid Bagley’s father to coach and run the AAU team his son played for. The families income increased dramatically once Nike got involved, which brought on questions of whether Bagley III violated NCAA rules.

Joining with the NBA and USA Basketball makes it a sanctioned event and therefore allowing coaches to attend without any concerns. The NCAA would also hold their own sponsored events, removing agents and apparel companies from the picture, giving coaches access to players without the fear of breaking any rules.

The committee’s recommendation dives even further by banning coaches from non-certified non-scholastic basketball events. AAU circuits would be hit drastically with this rule, as would several apparel-sponsored events.

These are all good, no-brainer, moves the NCAA came up with. There are a few more you can read about here. But what stood out was how the NCAA blamed everyone except for themselves.