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The NCAA has amended its certification process for agents who represent basketball players who are testing the draft waters that will no longer require them to have a bachelor's degree.

"We are committed to providing student-athletes who are deciding whether to stay in school or explore NBA draft options with access to a wide array of resources to make their decision," the NCAA said in a statement on Monday.

"NCAA member schools developed the new agent certification process to accomplish that goal and reflect our higher education mission. However, we have been made aware of several current agents who have appropriately represented former student-athletes in their professional quest and whom the National Basketball Players Association has granted waivers of its bachelor's degree requirement."

The NCAA issued a memo to agents last week that outlined new certification requirements.

In an op-ed piece for The Athletic on Monday, Rich Paul wrote: "Requiring a four-year degree accomplishes only one thing -- systematically excluding those who come from a world where college is unrealistic. Does anyone really believe a four-year degree is what separates an ethical person from a con artist?

"Let's also be clear that once the NCAA requires a four-year degree for athletes 'testing the waters,' it's only a matter of time until this idea is socialized, no longer questioned, and then more broadly applied. We all know how this works. Unfair policy is introduced incrementally so people accept it because it only affects a small group. Then the unfair policy quietly evolves into institutional policy. I'm not sure what the technical term is for that because I didn't finish college but I know it when I see it."

Via Mark Schlabach/ESPN

Pennebaker wrote:LeBron Inc. wins again.

RealGM Wiretap wrote:"NCAA member schools developed the new agent certification process to accomplish that goal and reflect our higher education mission.”

xx1c1cle wrote:NBA players are paid too much.
And NCAA players are paid too little.

alienpick wrote:

xx1c1cle wrote:NBA players are paid too much.
And NCAA players are paid too little.

NBA players earning 50% of all basketball related income is fair. Like you said about the NCAA, in the NBA the players drive the future of the league and bring in the audience. Conversely, the team owners take all the financial risk by investing HUGE amounts of money into the teams and the league as a whole. So a 50-50 partnership is completely fair.

How do you feel about the military offering to wipe clean any outstanding college debt for enlisting recruits? Isn't that somewhat unethical and certainly dangerous af

Compared to the rest of society, on an ethical level, yes they are overpaid. But from an economic view, ethically, they are paid perfectly fair.

NCAA athletes aren’t paid, and rather borderline exploited. That needs to end. They are basically paid in product (free classes) by the “company” they work for. Unfortunately that reimbursement forces them to work even harder (play ball AND pass their FREE classes). It’s a complete scam. Imagine McDonald paying their employees only in Hamburgers? AND they only get those hamburgers if they play on the store’s rec team and meet a certain sales quota (ie: get a passing grade)?!? It’s highway robbery, and technically illegal.

They need to pay NCAA athletes a semi-professional wage and then offer a free degree (to be completed anytime in life) as a perk. Let’s see how many of them actually play sports and take classes at the same time. I’m betting 95% of them don’t.

Well said on everything else!

BasketballJunky wrote:

Pennebaker wrote:LeBron Inc. wins again.

Less about LeBron more about what did rich Paul or any other agent do without a degree that would upset you that much to change your rules.
Who recieved corrupt advice ?
Darius Bazley? 1st round pick 1 million dollars richer than everyone else in the draft.

Cmon NCAA Cmon Everyone.
If they are good at their job don’t hate congratulate.

MaseInYourFace wrote:Ehh I have mixed feelings about this one. On one hand I understand the need to standardize from a professional point of view. Not sure how you do it with an agent and maybe Rich Paul would qualify to have an education requirement waived. However, I don’t think it’s necessarily unfair to ask someone that is going to be a representative on contracts worth millions of dollars to meet certain educational standards. A typical American high school degree is not enough education to understand and negotiate these type of contracts. A lot of sports agents have law degrees or practiced law at one point or another. In most professional fields now a college degree is like the low bar. I do understand though how Paul might feel singled out by this rule.

IAMZOOTED2 wrote:

alienpick wrote:

xx1c1cle wrote:NBA players are paid too much.
And NCAA players are paid too little.

How do you feel about the military offering to wipe clean any outstanding college debt for enlisting recruits? Isn't that somewhat unethical and certainly dangerous af

alienpick wrote:

IAMZOOTED2 wrote:

alienpick wrote:
How do you feel about the military offering to wipe clean any outstanding college debt for enlisting recruits? Isn't that somewhat unethical and certainly dangerous af

From my understanding recruits still get paid to go through basic training. Free college has always been a perk of joining the military. I'm not sure how its unethical or dangerous, they still get paid for their duties and also get the added benefit of free college at any point in their life. The military does it because they know that most positions in the military aren't long lasting careers and they want to set up those who served with a potential future in another career. They also pay a really good pension.

why do you think its unethical?

IAMZOOTED2 wrote:

alienpick wrote:

IAMZOOTED2 wrote:

From my understanding recruits still get paid to go through basic training. Free college has always been a perk of joining the military. I'm not sure how its unethical or dangerous, they still get paid for their duties and also get the added benefit of free college at any point in their life. The military does it because they know that most positions in the military aren't long lasting careers and they want to set up those who served with a potential future in another career. They also pay a really good pension.

why do you think its unethical?

I think it's important to keep things in perspective... Who typically incurs the most debt while trying to get thru college? Let's call them the unfortunate sons and daughters.

To me, it seems unethical to offer to wipe clean tens of thousands of dollars of debt in exchange for putting your life in grave danger. Offering to pay for college is like dangling a carrot in front of a mine field. The notion that the NCAA is profiting off the backs of innocent children seems akin to the idea that the military profits off the blood of those who can't find a way to pay off their debt... Enlisting college grads may go in as officers, but they ain't excluded from dangerous assignments