I talking about NBA guys who didn't finish college or want to get a second degree. What's preventing them from participating college athletics, earning some NIL dollars, while working on a degree? No different from Z who coming to UK to get his degree.
Yeah, I suppose that's always been technically possible. Meaning the rule being a college can't pay for play, but if at 30 years old or so and so enrolls with eligibility left, has made money on his own they can play.
However, I think it's kind of the 3rd rail nobody touches. Probably some kind of an unspoken rule of mutually assured destruction.
Basically, all the tobacco road blue bloods just sitting there with their finger hovering over the proverbial button. Alright Dukie if you bring yours back, I'm bringing mine back. Then UNC says alright ya'll want to play that game we'll holler at the GOAT. Then someone says we'll Kobe was going to come here, then another is like okay we had Dirk or KG on line one. Then there's Texas like, alright we'll bring KD back right the F89k now.
I think there was a movement years ago to get Lebron to come back to some school and play football because technically he could. Also, there have been some minor league baseball players who've played college football.
However, again, when you're a professional athlete it just seems kind of below you. I mean it's like pulling teeth to get a kid to return for a second year as it is...all of a sudden, he's going to leave a big city, money, and that professional lifestyle to come back to Lexington, Durham?
I also don't think the NBA/NFL would allow their stars to do that. Kind of like the no motorcycle or mountain climbing clause in a lot of big max contracts.