""I am going to get myself in trouble, but I listen to people talk about how kids changed. Kids aren't the problem, we're the problem," Izzo told reporters Tuesday. "This was sprung on us again yesterday where a guy can be in the G League for two or three years and then all of a sudden, he's eligible. Most of my people knew nothing about it."
"Per the NCAA's Division I manual, any athlete who has been compensated as a professional beyond "actual and necessary expenses" -- a category that includes health insurance, meals, lodging and transportation -- cannot play college basketball. But the NCAA has bent those rules recently for multiple international prospects who've participated in professional leagues overseas. The murkiness presented by the name, image and likeness and revenue share eras have made the line between professional and amateur more gray than it has ever been."
Two former G League players, London Johnson and Thierry Darlan, recently committed to Division I programs, challenging previous amateurism and eligibility norms. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo criticized the decision-makers for allowing those moves without consulting programs and expressed frustration that the shift was announced abruptly. The NCAA Division I manual bars athletes compensated beyond "actual and necessary expenses" from college play, but the association has made exceptions for multiple international prospects who played in professional leagues. The emergence of NIL and revenue-share arrangements has blurred lines between professional and amateur statuses, complicating eligibility determinations.
Read at ESPN.com
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