Jay Bilas believes faculty basketball’s eligibility downside really ‘not that huge of a deal’

[ad_1] The NCAA has an eligibility downside on its fingers, and it has develop into very obvious in faculty basketball.

Earlier this season, former NBA Draft choose James Nnaji signed with Baylor. Njaji was drafted by the Detroit Pistons however by no means performed within the NBA. He performed professionally in Europe, however it was dominated that he might play at Baylor as a result of he was inside 5 years of his highschool commencement, and he by no means signed an NBA contract.

Just a few weeks in the past, issues received much more wild.

Charles Bediako, a former Alabama hooper, determined to come back again to Alabama two years after going undrafted. He was granted eligibility quickly even supposing he had signed a two-way contract within the NBA and had even performed within the G League.

It kind of looks like one thing has to offer. Georgia head coach Mike White lately joked that Anthony Edwards can be again within the lineup for the Bulldogs.

Famous faculty basketball analyst and speaking head Jay Bilas does not appear to assume it is that huge of a deal, although. He does assume the NCAA must give you some laborious and quick eligibility guidelines, however in the end, he believes the outcry — particularly from the coaches — is a bit self-righteous.

“One of many issues I discover actually attention-grabbing about that is the response of coaches on this,” Bilas mentioned Wednesday on "The Paul Finebaum Present" (h/t On3). “The concept a few of that is shameful and all that. ‘Disgrace on the NCAA, disgrace on the coaches.’ Once I hear that, what I actually assume is, look, for those who don’t desire a participant like Charles Bediako, don’t recruit him. However what they’re actually saying is, we don’t wish to play in opposition to him. That’s what’s being mentioned right here is, they don’t wish to play in opposition to Charles Bediako. James Nnaji at Baylor, after all of the hullabaloo about him, he’s averaging 1.7 factors per recreation. Charles Bediako — no disrespect. I imply, he’s a superb participant. However, what, he had 13 and 14 factors in two video games? We had three freshmen over the weekend rating over 40."

Jay Bilas believes faculty basketball's eligibility downside is overblown Bilas is principally saying that there are greater fish to fry. Positive, if White's joke about Edwards got here true and the three-time NBA All-Star determined he needed to come back again to play faculty hoops, we would be in huge bother. Or if LeBron James determined he needed to play for Ohio State as a result of he technically by no means performed faculty basketball. That is the place issues might actually go sideways.

Once more, Bilas believes there must be clearer guidelines in the case of eligibility. He is proper about that. In the end, although, it is his thought that the drama is a bit overblown.

If it will get individuals to tune in to school basketball earlier than March, it might even be price it for the NCAA.

“We’re not speaking about an All-America-caliber right here. Once more, I don’t imply that to be disrespectful, however why are we getting in a twist over all these items when it’s actually, for my part, not that huge of a deal," Bilas mentioned. "I do agree that the NCAA ought to be higher in the best way they promulgate guidelines. Their guidelines ought to make higher sense than they make. However I’m undecided that to the extent these gamers and establishments are form of being demonized over this, it’s nowhere close to as huge of a deal for my part as is being product of it.”