ESPN’s Jeff Borzello has a long column up on that explores the impact of Judge Charlotte Sweeney’s decision to give every member of the 2022 class a fifth year of eligibility.
First up: the NCAA will certainly appeal the decision, and might win that appeal. So it’s not a done deal yet.
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But for now, everyone has to react, and judging by Borzello’s article, coaches have no idea how to deal with this level of uncertainty.
Getting what amounts to a second portal in August might be good for some programs – Gonzaga lost their point guard recently and needs a new one – but for the overall sport, it’s terrible. Just look at this quote from a Big 12 assistant coach: “Every day you wake up, it’s a new apocalypse in college basketball.”
Guys like former NC State wing Darrion Williams, Miami’s Malik Reanu, and former Tar Heels Seth Trimble, Cade Tyson, and Jalen Washington could all land on a team for next year – in August (Duke may see Washington soon: Tennessee is rumored to be the leader).
What it is is a giant mess, and it could probably have been prevented if the NCAA lawyers pushed the date for five years of eligibility out a year or two.
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What may ironically help, although it will certainly cause more lawsuits, is ruling more European and international players ineligible. That will open roster spots for some. However, it’s not really a silver lining. That’s just more chaos.
If you missed it, this may make a difference: the Big Ten and SEC signed on to the bipartisan bill that Congress is proposing for college sports. That at least would provide some consistency, at least in the short term.
However, that hasn’t gone anywhere yet, and given the way Congress moves, it may not for some time.
Until then, it’s just Lord of the Flies time in college sports.
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