The Inevitable Chaos: How the NCAA‘s Resistance to Change Created College Basketball’s Current Crisis
The recent signing of a russian center mid-season by Oklahoma, following similar moves by Dayton, BYU, and even Kansas State women’s hoops, feels… jarring. it’s a symptom of a deeper malaise,a chaotic consequence of decades of the NCAA clinging to a broken system.While the arrival of experienced professionals might seem like the end of college basketball as we know it, the reality is far more nuanced. The world isn’t ending, and players like Nnaji, who averaged a modest 3.4 points per game professionally, might actually benefit from structured collegiate advancement – a model already proven in college hockey where NHL draft picks routinely hone their skills before turning pro. But the way this is happening? That’s the problem.
As UConn coach Dan Hurley succinctly put it, “This s— is crazy!!” And he’s right. This isn’t a sudden disruption; it’s the predictable outcome of a long, self-inflicted wound.The blame lies squarely with the “leadership” of college sports, who spent years desperately trying to preserve a romanticized notion of amateurism that was demonstrably unsustainable in the face of legal and societal shifts.
The O’bannon Case: The First Crack in the Foundation
The warning signs appeared as early as 2009 with Ed O’Bannon’s lawsuit against the NCAA. O’Bannon, a former UCLA basketball star, argued – successfully, as a judge ruled in 2014 – that the NCAA was profiting from the use of players’ names, images, and likenesses, specifically in video games. (Antitrust Law
The NCAA’s arguments were consistently dismantled in court. They even argued before the Supreme court that allowing athletes to be compensated – even through modest academic awards or endorsements – would fundamentally damage the product,driving away fans. The implication? Caitlin Clark‘s incredibly successful State Farm commercial, which demonstrably boosted women’s basketball viewership, was an existential threat.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in a powerful concurring opinion in the unanimous 2021 Supreme Court decision against the NCAA, eviscerated this logic. He pointed out the essential flaw: “…Nowhere else in America can businesses get away with agreeing not to pay their workers a fair market rate on the theory that their product is defined by not paying their workers a fair market rate.”
This ruling, and others like it, underscored a simple truth: the NCAA was fighting a losing battle against established antitrust law. The Sherman Antitrust Act, dating back to 1890, fundamentally prohibits agreements that restrain trade – and preventing athletes from earning a living clearly falls into that category.
The Floodgates Open: Transfers, Grad Students, and EuroLeague Veterans
Faced with consistent legal defeats, the NCAA turned to Congress, seeking antitrust exemptions.Lobbyists were deployed, senators were courted, and hearings were held. But no meaningful legislation materialized. it was a predictable failure, a waste of time and money.
The consequences of this resistance are now playing out in real-time. The NCAA’s inability to restrict athletes’ earning potential has led to a cascade of changes: unrestricted transfers, the devaluation of junior college seasons, an influx of older, graduate-student players, and now, the arrival of seasoned professionals mid-season.The NCAA can’t legally prevent someone from earning a living,and therefore,can rarely prevent them from playing and earning a living simultaneously.
The Path Forward: Embrace the Inevitable – Collective Bargaining
The solution isn’t more legal maneuvering or futile lobbying efforts. It’s
