Last year's number one high school player in the country, Shabazz Muhammad, was declared ineligible for UCLA's home basketball opener.
Why? Because a family friend helped with his travel and lodgings bill when he visited two NCAA member schools last season. That breaks the rules of amateurism that the NCCA has set up.
The funny thing? If he was a CLOSER family friend (as defined by NCAA rules) it would have been allowed. A local community member wanted to make sure this kid had the opportunity to play at the best school possible, and as a result the kid currently can't play college basketball.
I understand why the NCAA ruled the way they did. The sponsor is a financial advisor by profession and they thought that he had something to gain by helping the kid. IF this advisor had been closer to the family before he made the offer, nothing would have been said.
As it stands, the kid will most likely, somehow, have to repay the money and get suspended for a while before he is eligible to return.
No ranting this time. Just a look at how the NCAA tries to keep everything above board. I can see that it's not an easy task, and I can understand why people might be upset on both sides of this delicate issue.
I have a nephew who was recruited by some pretty good division one schools this year and he and his family were VERY careful about following every rule the NCCA has set up to make sure he didn't violate any eligibility rules. THEY KNEW and FOLLOWED those rules. Shabazz and his family also knew the rules, and they decided to bend one of the few gray areas. You live with those types of decisions.
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