In an ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA has issued new guidance over the last 24 hours that impacts both recruiting and basketball players that have put their name into the NBA Draft.
The organization issued the following statement regarding recruiting on Wednesday evening:
“The Division One Council Coordination Committee extended the recruiting dead period through June 30. The committee will review the dead period dates on May 27 and could extend the dead period at that time.”
The dead period applies to all sports.
College basketball coaches associations have already recommended that the dead period be extended through July 31, issuing this statement yesterday:
“Considering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the board of directors for the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association executive committee have recommended an extension of the current recruiting dead period through July 31.”
Both sessions of the NCAA College Basketball Academy scheduled July 20-26 have been canceled. The Academy, implemented in 2019, was one of the main July live period events last year.
What it means: Dead periods mean that college coaches cannot have live interaction with recruiting targets, and they cannot conduct live evaluations. Instead, only phone calls and virtual meetings can occur. Continuing extensions of the dead period along with state and local restrictions increase the likelihood that the summer AAU basketball season will not happen.
There have been no live periods since college sports were canceled in March.
Both college football and basketball have seen earlier than normal commitments in the class of 2021 as recruits realize that they may not have the opportunity for in-person visits. That trend seems likely to accelerate as visits are unlikely to be permitted throughout most of the summer.
NBA DRAFT WITHDRAWAL DATE EXTENDED
The NCAA also announced on Wednesday that it has extended the NBA Draft withdrawal date indefinitely.
The organization released the following statement.
“The NCAA’s deadline for men’s basketball student-athletes to withdraw from the NBA draft and retain their eligibility will be pushed back from the current June 3 date. This modification is being made with the health and well-being of our student-athletes in mind, along with their ability to make the most informed decisions during this uncertain time, and is based on the recent announcement by the NBA to postpone the 2020 NBA Draft Combine. Out of respect to the NBA’s process, the decision on a new withdrawal date will be made once the league has determined a timeline for the 2020 pre-draft process. Working in collaboration with National Association of Basketball Coaches Executive Director Jim Haney and the rest of the coaches’ leadership, the NCAA membership will ensure that any change supports a player’s decision-making process related to professional opportunities while also protecting their academic pursuits and the opportunity to play college basketball.”
What it means: Programs continue to be in a state of uncertainty as it relates to their best players for an indefinite period of time. This will make it difficult for teams that would like to fill any future opening with a transfer target.
Indiana’s only player currently in the Draft is Justin Smith. He is expected to return for the 2020-21 season.
To see the complete list of Big Ten NBA Draft early entrants, go here.
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