Big East suggests sweeping changes

While everyone waits for the commission on college basketball to decide what it believes is best for the sport in the wake of the FBI investigation into alleged corruption, the Big East has a few ideas to fix everything that ails the game.

The most noteworthy suggestions: Change the oneand-done rule to a two-or- none policy and approve the use of agents to help players decide whether to attend college or go to the NBA.

Under the current criteria, players aren’t drafteligible until they are at least 19 years old or one year removed from gradu- ating high school. The twoor-none rule would force players to either commit to college for two years or go straight to the NBA, which still controls the minimum age players can enter its league. The conference also called upon the commission to allow players the same access to agents and advisors that exists for college hockey and baseball players.

The Big East also suggested the NCAA and USA Basketball get more involved in spring and summer basketball, which is also known as the AAU circuit in which sneaker-sponsored teams play across the country in sneaker-sponsored tournaments. The Big East recommended creating an Elite Player Unit (EPU) to help “players with realistic aspirations of playing in the NBA.” The Pac-12 released a similar report last week that would end the one-anddone rule and allow players who were drafted to return to school if they didn’t sign with the team, among other suggestions.

The NCAA’s 14-member commission is expected to give its recommendations to the NCAA board of directors in April after the Final Four.