[Genuine Realist]

In the world I'd like to see, where third party payments would be completely permissible, most good athletes would already be under option contracts to pro franchises. They'd go to college, or to development leagues, or - in the rarest case - straight to the franchise, depending on how they rated. There'd be no distinction between pro and amateur.

Most would head to college, because it's a good deal in terms of keeping life options open. They have to meet NCAA standards of eligibility and academic progress. But, like a computer or music major, they might leave school if the opportunity beckons, i.e., if there's a place for them on the big league squad. There's a theoretical issue that the pros are going to interfere with college squads, but in practice that'll disappear. As noted, coaches at both levels are going to have pretty much the same evaluation of a kid, where he rates and what he has to do to progress. Although the NCAA and (say) the NBA are too separate entities in this scenario, it's a near certainty that the coaching associations  would work out a protocol. It's madness to disrupt a college squad in mid season, and there are next to no players who justify the ill will. So you'd work out a protocol where an NBA GM alerts the school that it has a place for a given player, and he likely will not be in school in the following term. That's a helluva lot more notice than coaches get now.

Toss the notion of barrier out completely and imagine. In my world, a kid might complete the college season, and finals, and then be assigned by the team that holds his option to the major franchise for the balance of the season. then he might spend the summer playing in an NBA league. And in the fall? He returns to school and plays. The only thing that matters is academic eligibility.

And if he leaves school, and it doesn't work out? Then he returns a year later, assuming the school still wants him, and rejoins the squad. Why not?

Anything is possible. Forget about any penalty or ineligibility for being involved with a pro team or an agent not affiliated with the school. It all works beautifully. 

I'll post my link again. 

https://grealistink.typepad.com/wordplay...cruit.html

Apart from the fact that this account is unlikely to be "genuine" and is almost certainly not "realist," I'm unclear why your picture isn't solved by simply letting student-athletes go pro whenever they want to, potentially with the NBA's "don't hire an agent but explore the draft" window that allows pro-leaning amateurs to return.

In other words, if a student-athlete can go pro at any time, what's the necessity for this law? If you've read this entire thread, you'll know that that's been my position all along: from age 18 on, any student-athlete should be able to go pro whenever they want. But I don't see how letting them start cutting side deals "while amateurs" will improve anything, and I think a number of folks in this thread have explained why it will make them much worse. The problems related to the undue influence of agents, boosters, side-hustling assistant coaches/recruiters, etc., isn't suddenly going to be resolved just because they're legal.

But I've said my two cents and I fear we're just running in circles, so I think I've said all I have to say on this one.

Of course they go pro. They're all pro. They also play in college. Pretty much like a drama student lucky enough to get an equity card or a musician good enough to join the union. If I suggested that those accomplishments prevented the actress from being cast in the school play or in the school band, you'd look at me like I had two heads. Ditto a computer science major who works part time for Apple.

If you're in school and academically eligible, you can play. The fact that you are under contract to a pro franchise makes no difference. It couldn't be simpler.

[Genuine Realist]

In the world I'd like to see, where third party payments would be completely permissible, most good athletes would already be under option contracts to pro franchises. They'd go to college, or to development leagues, or - in the rarest case - straight to the franchise, depending on how they rated. There'd be no distinction between pro and amateur.

Most would head to college, because it's a good deal in terms of keeping life options open. They have to meet NCAA standards of eligibility and academic progress. But, like a computer or music major, they might leave school if the opportunity beckons, i.e., if there's a place for them on the big league squad. There's a theoretical issue that the pros are going to interfere with college squads, but in practice that'll disappear. As noted, coaches at both levels are going to have pretty much the same evaluation of a kid, where he rates and what he has to do to progress. Although the NCAA and (say) the NBA are too separate entities in this scenario, it's a near certainty that the coaching associations  would work out a protocol. It's madness to disrupt a college squad in mid season, and there are next to no players who justify the ill will. So you'd work out a protocol where an NBA GM alerts the school that it has a place for a given player, and he likely will not be in school in the following term. That's a helluva lot more notice than coaches get now.

Toss the notion of barrier out completely and imagine. In my world, a kid might complete the college season, and finals, and then be assigned by the team that holds his option to the major franchise for the balance of the season. then he might spend the summer playing in an NBA league. And in the fall? He returns to school and plays. The only thing that matters is academic eligibility.

And if he leaves school, and it doesn't work out? Then he returns a year later, assuming the school still wants him, and rejoins the squad. Why not?

Anything is possible. Forget about any penalty or ineligibility for being involved with a pro team or an agent not affiliated with the school. It all works beautifully. 

I'll post my link again. 

https://grealistink.typepad.com/wordplay...cruit.html

Apart from the fact that this account is unlikely to be "genuine" and is almost certainly not "realist," I'm unclear why your picture isn't solved by simply letting student-athletes go pro whenever they want to, potentially with the NBA's "don't hire an agent but explore the draft" window that allows pro-leaning amateurs to return.

In other words, if a student-athlete can go pro at any time, what's the necessity for this law? If you've read this entire thread, you'll know that that's been my position all along: from age 18 on, any student-athlete should be able to go pro whenever they want. But I don't see how letting them start cutting side deals "while amateurs" will improve anything, and I think a number of folks in this thread have explained why it will make them much worse. The problems related to the undue influence of agents, boosters, side-hustling assistant coaches/recruiters, etc., isn't suddenly going to be resolved just because they're legal.

But I've said my two cents and I fear we're just running in circles, so I think I've said all I have to say on this one.

Of course they go pro. They're all pro. They also play in college. Pretty much like a drama student lucky enough to get an equity card or a musician good enough to join the union. If I suggested that those accomplishments prevented the actress from being cast in the school play or in the school band, you'd look at me like I had two heads. Ditto a computer science major who works part time for Apple.

If you're in school and academically eligible, you can play. The fact that you are under contract to a pro franchise makes no difference. It couldn't be simpler.