Hey NBA, Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is!

There have been a lot of headaches this off season in college hoops. Regardless of how many individuals are at fault, one institution lacking control is the NBA.

A few years ago the suits at the NBA were concerned about their image. Hello, dress code! I have no idea what that solved, but they still haven't adequately addressed a fundamental problem -- one with a bigger influence on how they develop players to represent the league.

The NBA and their farm system the NCAA have a dysfunctional relationship. In a league in which some players have a bad reputation for baby-mama drama, the organization responsible for the league's diaper dandies has been left downright impotent.

Earlier this week I tried to explain to a friend why Nick Young, Gabe Pruitt and Lodrick Stewart bolted for the NBA before finishing their semester at USC in spring 2007 -- costing the school two scholarships.

"Why couldn't they punish the players?" she asked.

I pointed out that no sanction leveled by USC or the NCAA would affect them. As pros, they were already ineligible to play in college. Taking away their scholarships has zero effect because they make six or seven figures per year in the NBA. Plus what are the odds they really want to finish school?

She mused that it's too bad the NBA can't punish them.

Four days later I was telling her why USC and the NCAA had no practical recourse against O.J. Mayo for allegedly receiving $30,000 in illicit benefits.

Again, she mused that it's too bad the NBA can't punish him.

Again, she was right.

The NBA should punish rookies who fail to meet the most basic off-court expectations.

Obviously the league isn't going to check a player's homework, but they could tie every signing bonus to being a good citizen. Heck, dock a month's salary if they do anything to directly harm their previous team. That includes damaging a school's APR or violating any major NCAA rules.

Team owners would gain some character assurance (or their money back!) so they might support the idea. Agents would fight it -- but agents are allegedly behind the O.J. Mayo scandal. The NBA Players Assn. would fight it too -- but the players union has admitted that about 60% of its members go broke within five years of retirement. This sort of incentive could only help keep players on track and ensure a smooth transition back to school for those who go the way of M.C. Hammer.

Like it or not, this is in the best interests of everybody associated with the sport. Most of all, it's good for the NCAA -- and the NBA already owes them. Big time.

Major League Baseball has invested in the minor leagues and players can work their way up from cut-rate salaries (see: Athletics, Oakland). The NBA has the D-league, which is less romanticized and often seems like a death sentence for young careers. Most basketball stars are developed in the college ranks. Instead of risking millions of dollars on a 17- or 18-year-old kid who regularly plays against opponents who wear Noxzema, NBA scouts can see him compete against 22-year-old men who might wear him down -- with no investment necessary.

As a thank you, the NBA passed a terrible rule that requires players to wait one year after high school before joining the league. Bill Plaschke put it in perspective:

The one thing that always separated college sports from the pros is the lack of free agency.

This new NBA rule has caused the most chaotic kind of free agency.

In no sport other than minor league baseball can a great player show up for one year, then just disappear to a better job in the same sport.

Ultimately, college coaches are left to "pick up the pieces" and "it's lousy for the college fans."

The worst is in Westwood, where UCLA coach Ben Howland has freshman Kevin Love and sophomore Russell Westbrook declaring for the draft yet eligible to return because they haven't hired agents. Josh Shipp and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute are in the same boat, but note that they're juniors and not as highly regarded as Love and Westbrook. Howland still doesn't know what his roster will look like in a few months. Nobody likes being in limbo.

Down south, Texas prep-standout J'Mison Morgan is asking to get out of his letter-of-intent with LSU and it's likely he'll become a Bruin if his request is granted. The 6-foot-10 center could replace Love. Think about the timing. Morgan's request came after Love put his name in the draft. Coincidence? Doubtful. It looks like the NBA's rule is even affecting teams without top draft prospects.

The one-year rule is a slap in the NCAA's face, but it doesn't end there. The NBA's throwing down a backhanded pimp-slap by promoting a culture where ballin' off the court is just as (if not more) important than ballin' on it.

No other sport is as glamtastic as basketball. Players rock more ice than hockey and more dubs than Tris Speaker. Despite the dress code, the league hasn't hesitated to exploit a certain image. Last year it made a Web feature ranking the top celebrity Laker fans. This year's All-Star weekend put ostentatious icons like Master P and Deion Sanders on center stage. And don't forget last year's All-Star weekend in Vegas. The league started down this path awhile ago, if you ask Washington Post columnist Michael Wilbon.

Is it any surprise that a soon-to-be-NBA talent could be "pimped" with thousands of dollars in clothes? Or as the allegations against O.J. Mayo go, "He got some shirts, pants, a couple of jackets, shoes. Everything had to correspond with the shoes." The NBA already knows that image is everything.

An NCAA panel is about to research why men's basketball is the worst performing sport when it comes to academics. In fact, men's basketball isn't even close to other sports. The average hoops team hovers just above NCAA sanctions. When the panel releases its findings in a few months, I hope the recommendations include an appeal to the NBA for an assist.

PS: Two caveats, since I know these will come up in the comments:

1. None of this absolves USC or any of the aforementioned players of their respective responsibilities.
2. I don't actually expect the NBA to do something about this, even though they should. They're a business, and business is good. Nobody messes with a good business model except the Phoenix Suns.

Comments

[pk-in-the-mesa]

Here is a way the NCAA can change everything telling all players if they want a free ride it has to 2yrs or take walk and play pick-up ball for a year. But all this might do is make NAIA basketball pretty good. Other than that there has to be something done because one and done go to the highest bidder.

[silverlake bruin]

Only two coaches recruited OJ Mayo: Tim Floyd and Bob Huggins. Nobody else wanted him because they knew he was bought and paid for.

Floyd and USC should be punished for recruiting a player they knew had accepted payment in the past, and they had good reason to believe would do so while in college.

You should be asking why isn't USC punished for using paid athletes like Bush and Mayo and pretending not to know. But, I guess being a trojan alum, you have to blame other people, not the university you cover up for.

[Jeremy]

you (USC) deserve to get smashed!

[Fred]

You Bruins' are so self righteous. You are one handicap parking scandal away from being exposed for the same garbage USC is being accused of. You think the same thing isn't happening right now at your beloved university at some level? Dream on. It’s pervasive and systemic. USC is on the hot seat now, but it will be someone else later - just depends on where the spotlight is

[silverlake_bruin]

Fred's morality:

people parking illegally under a former coach, former athletic director and former chancellor ten years ago = using paid players under current football and basketball coaches, AD, and president.

Sounds like a USC philosophy education.

[silverlake_bruin]

Isn't it funny that the daily news and the times both have USC alums covering USC, and both papers got scooped by Yahoo and ESPN on stories of corruption and illegality at USC. Why weren't your reporters covering that? Why no investigation when everyone knew the athletic department is rotten to the core at troy?

[gerrrg]

The NCAA is a fools' club.

They punish schools knowing full well that the schools cannot force students to stay the entire school term. They also know that the athletes are taught how to evade the cat and mouse games that are created by the NCAA, and punish schools for not having institutional control over their athletes.

Time and time again, the NCAA shows that their only solution to 'protecting athlete-students' is to punish schools.

And how stupid were they to rename the divisions in football to FBS and FCS? That alone should tell you how intelligent these people really are.

[gerrrg]

Silverlake_bruin,

The difference is that one offense is a misdemeanor that could result in jail time, and the other is not illegal by federal, state or any other legal jurisdictional law.

Can you tell the difference between the two? Let me give you a hint...if it's blue, it was a misdemeanor.

And if you want to talk about lack of institutional control, how does 16 football players pleading guilty to committing a misdemeanor reflect on a university's institutional control, or a lack thereof?

[uscmike]

Hey SL Bruin:

The persons pointing the fingers in both the Bush (Lloyd Lake) and Mayo (Johnson) both stated that they had no evidence to show that USC knew about the alleged improper benefits. If the players took the extra benefits, then they should be condemned. The question for NCAA sanctions, however, is whether USC knew or should have known that Bush or Mayo allegedly received improper benefits.

It is said that "everyone does it" - pays the extra benefits to star recruits (which is not an justifiable excuse). Thus, the thought continues that if everyone does it, then everyone must know it is on going. However, this is not sufficient to show that USC should have known about it. Otherwise, any school would automatically be found knowledgeable where extra benefits are paid. There have to be actual facts tied to each case to show that USC knew or should have known about extra benefits.

In Mayo's case, the NCAA and Pac-10 investigated Mayo before he arrived on campus and found no evidence of wrongdoing. It begs the question of: Why USC should know about it when the NCAA and Pac-10 didn't? USC, no doubt, relied on those investigations. Your claim that Floyd, USC and all other NCAA coaches knew that Mayo received extra benefits. That simply isn't true. Indeed, Johnson, who turned on Mayo, stated that USC did not know.

I am troubled by USC allowing Guillory on campus, and apparently in Floyd's office, after the incident with Jeff Trepagnier. I would like to hear its explanation for why that happened.

In Bush's case, there is no evidence that USC knew of his relationship with Lake or Michaels, or the receipt of benefits. The NCAA will act as it did with Charles Woodson - no sanctions - because it found that Michigan didn't know.

[Fred]

SL Bruin. I used the handicap scandal becuse it was a major embarrassment that even you bruins can't deny. The point being is that you are pointing fingers at USC based on unsubstantiated allegations from convicted criminals and career hustlers. We all know that overzealous agents/boosters praying on young athletes is a big problem everywhere - not just SC. Now you add cover up allegations at the LA Times. You make rash, uninformed judgements, claim conspiracy theory and you make fun of a USC education?

[take responsibility]

another thing should be pointed out. maybe sc should look at the pluses and minuses of a player before allowing him to play at their institution. there was A LOT of speculation about mayo and the people he was associating with. and if one of the people he was associating himself with has burned you before, none of this should really come as a surprise. i am sad to say that the ncaa is going to look at that and also the fact that tim floyd allowed guillory some access. as much as i think mayo is a great talent, i always thought we were taking a risk in signing him.

Bruins I understand you but lets set the record straight, most colleges high schools don't know what is going on all Bruins I understand you but let’s set the record straight, most college’s high schools don't know what is going on all the time in a player’s life and they really shouldn't. I have played and coach at both levels and have seen it all but I still didn't have the time to worry about every athlete, alls you can do is wait till you hear something and follow up on the matter. If I found wrong doing there would be punishment or explosion from the program. There are bad coach's everywhere but I don't believe Tim, Pete, Ben and Dullard are bad people but as forest said it happens all you can do is pick-up the pieces and start over.

pk-in-the-mesa
sincerly Paul D. Kelley.

[MoneyMan]

UCLA'Ruin - two words: Sam Gilbert

[silverlake_bruin]

Deny, Deny, Deflect, Deflect.

Ask yourselves this, those who are saying Floyd couldn't have known anything:

With all his talent, why were Bob Huggins and Tim Floyd the only two coaches recruiting Mayo?

Why weren't UCLA, NC, Kansas, Kentucky, Duke or any of the major programs pursuing a guy with his talent?

Answer: Because everyone knew he was corrupt and paid for. Only shady coaches like Huggins and Floyd were willing to take a shot with him.

[tapout]

Hey silverlake_bruin- I'm asking myself this question: who is more to blame? your parents or your ucla professors? (for your obviously poor argumentative skills)

Let's take a peek, shall we? Oh yeah- there it is. It says right here (in SL_bruins delusional mind): The NCAA shall punish WITH GREAT AUTHORITY any coach or university stupid enough to make a bad choice in choosing a recruit.

Yup, that about covers it guys! The NCAA has mandated it is totally against the rules for making bad decisions.

One more thing sl_bruin, you should go look at yourself in a mirror and ask yourself: Is my tinfoil hat with neato antennas on a little too tight?

[OJDIDIT]

Yes Bruin fans are self-righteous and we also know when it is time to pull the trigger on a bad coach or administrator. We are culpable when it comes to our transgretions. Trojan fans are sadly starting to sound like George Bush Apologists. Stevie Boy Sample needs to run out Mike Garrett because he has once again disgraced a great university. You can go into "lock-down" mode all you want, but the NCAA is coming. Remember Trojan fans, a certificate from USC is not the same as a degree.

[Eddie]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/21/sports/ncaabasketball/21usc.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Silver_lake, all I have to say is the New York Times disputes your revisionist history about Floyd's recruiting of Mayo. Hell Tim Floyd didn't even know who Ron Guillory was before he walked in the door telling him Mayo chose SC.

[langs]

Every time you watch a major college sports event on TV you are watching PIMPING at it's highest level.

The NCAA are the PIMPS>

They made millions off of the NCAA tournament and NCAA BCS.

Everyone got paid from the networks to the schools.

Everyone but those who actually performed were paid.

This is the only business in America were your likeness or image can be used for promotion but you are not paid.

ESPN classic now shows old NCAA sporting events. Who gets the money off of this. Not the players.

If you think a free scholarship is fair your a retard.

That 4 year scholarship pays for itself every time that player is on TV.

This is the equivalent of locking up corner drug dealers
everyday why millions of tons of illegal drugs come in the country daily. When was the last time you heard of a large drug bust into the country. So much for Homeland security.

[Bruce]

First, let me say I am a USC alumnus.
If O.J. knew what he was doing, it was wrong and he should be punished, although, since he is out of school, I don’t know who or what will happen.
If USC was aware of any of the allegations and did not move to stop it, they should also be punished.

But where is the call for the perpetrator, the one who knowingly went after O.J. and induced him to break the rules, to be punished??? BDA benefits from its rule-breaking. Everyone else suffers. It would be great if you would at least cover the story from that perspective. And, one might suggest to USC that they have a legal cause of action against BDA for knowingly inducing Mayo to break the NCAA rules, thus interfering with USC’s basketball program. Maybe if a few schools went after these unscrupulous agents for money, which is all they understand, the situation could be corrected.

[AW]

Yesterday I heard a well known sports radio show personality argue that since BB stars cannot go to the NBA, then they should be allowed to hire agents. The agents can then pay them and they can keep their amateur status and still play BB at their college of choice.

HIs argument is that other amatuer athletes, Olympic stars (i..e. Michael Phelps) can make commercials and get paid at the same time.

That has got to be the dumbest argument I had ever heard!!

If this would happen then any rich alum could register to be a sports agent and then entice athletes to attend a specific school with the condition that they would pay them a certain sum.

Take for example Phil Knight of Nike (Big Booster of University of Oregon) could register as a sports agent. Then he could have told Kevin Love, OJ Mayo, Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose and Eric Gordon that I will pay you 1 million each to attend UofO and I will guarantee you a multi-million dollar Nike endorsement deal as long as you are a 1st round pick after your freshman year.

As far as USC and the OJ case: If it is proven that he took gifts from a sports agent or a rep. of the sports agent without SC knowing. Punishment for SC is to lose 1 scholarship for 1 yr. On probation for the one year, but still be allowed to play in post season tournament. If further violations occur, then severe penalties would be handed down.

If SC knew about the gifts/sports agent - which I believe they must have suspected after OJ received the free tickets to the Lakers game. Then of course forfeiture of all games, loss of 2 scholarships, banning from post season play for 1 year.

Other ideas about having these one and done players.
Require any athlete that turns pro prior to their Junior season to pay back to the University the value of the scholarship they received. Or allow 18 year olds to be drafted by the NBA on the condition that they will play in the NBA D-League for 1 yr at a max. contract of $250k.
Or the NBA can just get rid of this ridiculous rule that they have to wait one year. But then again these 18 yr olds can just go to Europe and play for 1 yr and get paid.

AW

[pk-in-the-mesa]

Listen all they have to do is make the player pay their own way, if they are not on scholarship they can have all the income they want.