New NCAA recruiting and NBA Draft rule changes approved

The FBI scandal in college basketball has brought about real rule changes, as officially put forth by the NCAA that include coach permission for recruiting events, player representation and more.

Here’s a rundown of the rule changes.

A prospect is allowed up to 15 visits

Prospects are now going to be allowed five visits between Aug. 1 and the end of their junior year, five visits between the end of their junior year and Oct. 15 after graduation, and five visits between that October date and their remaining college eligibility.

A student can now only visit a school once per year, and can’t take an unofficial visit until his sophomore year of high school.

Agent representation

This is something the public has been calling for: pending a decision by the NBA and NBPA, high school players will now be eligible to be represented by an agent if they have been identified as an elite high school prospect by USA Basketball. They’d be eligible for representation the July before their senior season.

In addition to that, effective immediately, college players can be represented by agents if they request an evaluation from the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee.

Agreements with an agent have to be terminated when the student enrolls in or returns to college, but they do allow for the agent to cover expenses for the student related to the agent selection process.

Returning to college after the NBA Draft

Pending a decision by the NBA and NBPA, undergraduates who request an Undergraduate Advisory Committee evaluation and aren’t drafted are allowed to return to college if they notify the school’s athletics director by 5 p.m. the Monday after the draft.

You can read the NCAA’s official announcement of these rule changes here. In addition to these, recruiting rule changes for coaches have been confirmed. Jeff Borzello reported them via Twitter.

This isn’t much different than what we expected. It clamps down on the July live period, where a lot of issues involving the FBI scandal occurred. It also allows for recruiting opportunities in settings that are far more regulated and don’t feature shoe and apparel companies.

It’s nice to see that the NCAA is making major changes in the rules following the outcry for change. This isn’t just about the FBI scandal, but also about allowing players more freedom and opportunities to do what’s best for them in a system that doesn’t properly compensate them for their abilities.