Villanova’s Willard rips NCAA as ‘clueless’ after latest signing

[shu67]

Villanova coach Kevin Willard earned a win in his return to Seton Hall on Tuesday night, and he also took a shot at the NCAA for being “clueless” after the latest controversial college basketball signing.

Here is the link:

Villanova’s Willard rips NCAA as ‘clueless’ after latest signing - nj.com

 

[radecicco]

Saw this. KW firing on all cylinders, LOL!

 

[MBryantFan88]

"I think Oklahoma just signed a 24 year old Russian."

Ro Gill was 25 his senior year... Andrew Gaze played 4 years in the NBL in Austrailia before he came to SHU as a 23 yr old. Lets all pump our brakes about Willard being the final word about anything.

 

[MooneyHall07]

"I think Oklahoma just signed a 24 year old Russian."

Ro Gill was 25 his senior year... Andrew Gaze played 4 years in the NBL in Austrailia before he came to SHU as a 23 yr old. Let’s all pump our brakes about Willard being the final word about anything.

Honestly Gaze was one of the first thoughts in my head. Meanwhile it used to be that if you were an American high school player and signed with an agent and entered the NBA Draft you automatically forfeited your eligibility in college before playing a minute of professional basketball, even if you weren’t eventually drafted.

 

[Fishjam]

"I think Oklahoma just signed a 24 year old Russian."

Ro Gill was 25 his senior year... Andrew Gaze played 4 years in the NBL in Austrailia before he came to SHU as a 23 yr old. Lets all pump our brakes about Willard being the final word about anything.

Totally different situations. Willard, Hurley, Izzy and many other coaches are sounding off about teams bringing in seasoned professional players in the middle of the season and being eligible immediately.

Players drafted and signed by NBA teams or good Euro leagues, playing several years then going to college and given in-season eligibility.

Baylor just signed a kid who was a 1st round NBA pick in 2023 and has played the last 3 years in the G-league and he's eligible to play in their next game. The Russian is also eligible to play now for Oklahoma. Thats a far cry from taking an unknown, inexperienced Ro Gil out of JC, red-shirting him and developing him for 3 years to get 1 good year out of him.

Everybody is aware that it's ok to bring in European pros although it's comical that they are given 4 full years of eligibility at 22-25 years old. The majority of high D1 teams have a player like this. What coaches are talking about are these mid-season acquisitions and giving players who signed with the NBA/G league eligibility. These were never allowed before.

You can bet that more teams will start doing this. Where does it end? LeBron never went to college. Can Shaheen give Whitehead a couple of million to suit up for the Pirates, he still has 2 years of eligibility?

 

[MBryantFan88]

Totally different situations. Willard, Hurley, Izzy and many other coaches are sounding off about teams bringing in seasoned professional players in the middle of the season and being eligible immediately.

Players drafted and signed by NBA teams or good Euro leagues, playing several years then going to college and given in-season eligibility.

Baylor just signed a kid who was a 1st round NBA pick in 2023 and has played the last 3 years in the G-league and he's eligible to play in their next game. The Russian is also eligible to play now for Oklahoma. Thats a far cry from taking an unknown, inexperienced Ro Gil out of JC, red-shirting him and developing him for 3 years to get 1 good year out of him.

Everybody is aware that it's ok to bring in European pros although it's comical that they are given 4 full years of eligibility at 22-25 years old. The majority of high D1 teams have a player like this. What coaches are talking about are these mid-season acquisitions and giving players who signed with the NBA/G league eligibility. These were never allowed before.

You can bet that more teams will start doing this. Where does it end? LeBron never went to college. Can Shaheen give Whitehead a couple of million to suit up for the Pirates, he still has 2 years of eligibility?

There's a difference between playing pro in Europe and in G League? Call me when a guy with actual NBA minutes plays. I will stop calling BS on this type of thinking.

 

[MooneyHall07]

The scenario of a player being drafted by the NBA then playing in college isn’t all that unprecedented, although I don’t think that it’s happened in a long time. In the days when the NBA draft was ten rounds, there were players who were drafted by an NBA team and returned to college. Those players never signed or played for the teams that drafted them. Mark Eaton was an example having been drafted by the Suns but not signing with them, before transferring to UCLA and being drafted by the Jazz.

Here, Nnaji was drafted but never signed a contract in the NBA nor did he play in the G league. He went to play in Europe and now seeks to play college basketball. He is considered a foreign professional player which we know have long been allowed to come here and play college basketball.

Now mid-season acquisitions with immediate eligibility is an entirely different story. That’s ridiculous and should not be permitted IMO

 

[VegasPJ1]

It’s pro b-ball now. Pro rules. Anything goes. Only limit is the # of eligible players a team has. Next will be minimum “scholarships/salaries”, salary caps and unions.

 

[TheHall87]

The scenario of a player being drafted by the NBA then playing in college isn’t all that unprecedented, although I don’t think that it’s happened in a long time. In the days when the NBA draft was ten rounds, there were players who were drafted by an NBA team and returned to college. Those players never signed or played for the teams that drafted them. Mark Eaton was an example having been drafted by the Suns but not signing with them, before transferring to UCLA and being drafted by the Jazz.

Here, Nnaji was drafted but never signed a contract in the NBA nor did he play in the G league. He went to play in Europe and now seeks to play college basketball. He is considered a foreign professional player which we know have long been allowed to come here and play college basketball.

Now mid-season acquisitions with immediate eligibility is an entirely different story. That’s ridiculous and should not be permitted IMO

Years ago an NBA team could draft a player and would hold the player's right for one year. The key was the player had to have finished four years of school.

The most prominent example: Larry Bird. He was drafted by Boston after his junior season at Indiana State -- but because he had transferred from Indiana, still had a year of eligibility.

Bird stayed at ISU, led them to the national championship game in 1979 and then signed with Boston after the season.

 

[JTSHU]

Just put an age limit. Im sure the ncaa will.get sued and lose anyway

 

[Piratz]

Just put an age limit. Im sure the ncaa will.get sued and lose anyway

Bingo. The NCAA is a clown show and should've been ahead of this more, but this is not only on them. They are getting their assses handed to them in the courts. Anything restricting a "player" is being shot down so what are they supposed to do?

 

[Fishjam]

The system is broken and the NCAA is afraid of being shot down by a random judge somewhere. My problem is there are no rules or inconsistent enforcing of rules. If G League Pros and Euro Pros are allowed to play in college and to be eligible midseason then make it known to all, put rules around it and make it the same for every team. The problem I have is when there is an understanding of the rules then suddenly certain schools are given exemptions.

 

[Halldan]

I noted about 2 weeks ago that government intervention was needed and some posters questioned the post.

Look, I hate to have the government involved in many things, but clearly the NCAA needs all the help they can get as they fear doing anything now as it might result in a lawsuit.

There is no leadership in the sport and as we can all see that has to change. The free for all we are seeing in college BB is downright embarrassing.

 

[VegasPJ1]

I respectfully disagree. There is leadership - the Power 4 conferences. They’ve been calling the shots for a few years now.

Don’t be surprised if they break off from the other conferences. It’s all about the $$$ and they’re locking up big tv contracts for their teams in football & bball.

There won’t be any government intervention- there’s no governmental interest to protect concerning age limits, eligibility etc. what is coming is player’s unions.