Recruitng class of '09

[Skatastrophy]

Our huge recruiting class should be wrapping up the last of their school here in the next couple weeks.  How long will it take us to hear that they will definitely be allowed to attend MU and play basketball this fall?

By the end of June?  July?

With MU getting HS kids, JUCO kids and an ex-European amature player I'd imagine that they'll all take different amounts of time to make it through the clearinghouse.  I have the lofty expectation that we'll have everyone cleared for the beginning of the year except for Yous probably having to sit out the first couple games of the season.  Is that a reasonable expectation?

[jficke13]

I think your expectation is close, but Mbao will be out more than a couple games. I'll put the O/U at 10. Just a gut feeling.

[bma725]

Our huge recruiting class should be wrapping up the last of their school here in the next couple weeks.  How long will it take us to hear that they will definitely be allowed to attend MU and play basketball this fall?

By the end of June?  July?

Two different things there.  Assuming they graduate HS/Prep/JUCO, they will be allowed to attend MU as soon as that school year ends.  The NCAA Clearinghouse is a totally different animal and may take much longer.  Like Hayward and Mbakwe in the past they could be in school and not hear anything or be able to practice with the team until August or later. 

Mbao on the other hand isn't just a Clearinghouse issue, there's a whole other committee involved called the Amateurism Certification Program....which means it can take much longer.  The last player I know of with something similar was Lucca Staiger at Iowa State and they didn't find out the ruling until the last week of October, when he was finally declared ineligible.  Likewise, they are going to have to do some interviewing and fact checking on Spanish pro league teams, and they probably won't start until after the clearinghouse gets finished.  So September or October maybe?

[GGGG]

Two different things there.  Assuming they graduate HS/Prep/JUCO, they will be allowed to attend MU as soon as that school year ends.  The NCAA Clearinghouse is a totally different animal and may take much longer.  Like Hayward and Mbakwe in the past they could be in school and not hear anything or be able to practice with the team until August or later. 

Mbao on the other hand isn't just a Clearinghouse issue, there's a whole other committee involved called the Amateurism Certification Program....which means it can take much longer.  The last player I know of with something similar was Lucca Staiger at Iowa State and they didn't find out the ruling until the last week of October, when he was finally declared ineligible.  Likewise, they are going to have to do some interviewing and fact checking on Spanish pro league teams, and they probably won't start until after the clearinghouse gets finished.  So September or October maybe?

If a player is decleared ineligible by the Amateurism Certification Program, is that a permanent ineligibility or do they declare you ineligible for a certain length of time?

[bma725]

If a player is decleared ineligible by the Amateurism Certification Program, is that a permanent ineligibility or do they declare you ineligible for a certain length of time?

Depends on how bad they deem the infraction to be.  It could be for a few games, it could be for the season, it could be permanent.  There's no way of knowing beforehand.

In the case of Staiger, everyone thought he'd get nothing or maybe 5 games.  He'd played on a pro team in Germany while in HS, but he hadn't accepted any money for his play.  But the NCAA ruled him ineligible for an entire year despite not getting any money, because other members of his team were making money. 

It's that kind of screwy logic that worries me about Mbao's situation.  CB Gran Canaria where he played in Spain is part of their top league and definitely pays their players.

[GOMU1104]

Two different things there.  Assuming they graduate HS/Prep/JUCO, they will be allowed to attend MU as soon as that school year ends.  The NCAA Clearinghouse is a totally different animal and may take much longer.  Like Hayward and Mbakwe in the past they could be in school and not hear anything or be able to practice with the team until August or later. 

Mbao on the other hand isn't just a Clearinghouse issue, there's a whole other committee involved called the Amateurism Certification Program....which means it can take much longer.  The last player I know of with something similar was Lucca Staiger at Iowa State and they didn't find out the ruling until the last week of October, when he was finally declared ineligible.  Likewise, they are going to have to do some interviewing and fact checking on Spanish pro league teams, and they probably won't start until after the clearinghouse gets finished.  So September or October maybe?

.


In order to avoid being disappointed, we need to just assume that Mbao wont be much a factor next year.  


I know Buzz and Co. have said they expect him to contribute next year...but lets be realistic about this...

[StillWarriors]

Sounds like we could have really used Liam next year but for his very unfortunate situation.

[MR.HAYWARD]

probably worst case scenario is he is ineligible for the year...yet he makes otule better in practice and is all the more ready ofr next year.

[BrewCity83]

Would he even be able to practice with the team if deemed ineligible by the clearinghouse?  Didn't Lazar fall behind because he couldn't practice while the clearinghouse was clearing him?

[reinko]

Would he even be able to practice with the team if deemed ineligible by the clearinghouse?  Didn't Lazar fall behind because he couldn't practice while the clearinghouse was clearing him?

If I remember correctly, Lazar was cleared right around Midnight Madness, but maybe that was Mbakwe.   

[Brewtown Andy]

Would he even be able to practice with the team if deemed ineligible by the clearinghouse?  Didn't Lazar fall behind because he couldn't practice while the clearinghouse was clearing him?

Wade was allowed to practice even though he was academically ineligible his freshman year.

[GGGG]

Depends on how bad they deem the infraction to be.  It could be for a few games, it could be for the season, it could be permanent.  There's no way of knowing beforehand.

In the case of Staiger, everyone thought he'd get nothing or maybe 5 games.  He'd played on a pro team in Germany while in HS, but he hadn't accepted any money for his play.  But the NCAA ruled him ineligible for an entire year despite not getting any money, because other members of his team were making money. 

It's that kind of screwy logic that worries me about Mbao's situation.  CB Gran Canaria where he played in Spain is part of their top league and definitely pays their players.

I don't understand the entire thing.  If the NCAA isn't going to allow professionals to play, then don't play them.  Either they are ineligible or they are not.  It seems kind of silly to do a penance of a few games as if that's going to make you an amateur again.  Or just make an exception for European club players under the age of 18.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

Would playing on these Pro teams while unpaid be the equivalent to AAU? or do they have amateur leagues with commensurate competition to US leagues

[bma725]

I don't understand the entire thing.  If the NCAA isn't going to allow professionals to play, then don't play them.  Either they are ineligible or they are not.  It seems kind of silly to do a penance of a few games as if that's going to make you an amateur again.  Or just make an exception for European club players under the age of 18.

This is the NCAA we're talking about here, they don't have to make sense.

[77ncaachamps]

Would playing on these Pro teams while unpaid be the equivalent to AAU?

or do they have amateur leagues with commensurate competition to US leagues

To the first question, I would say no. Purely because of the professional vs. amateur status.

However, the latter question shows what many don't know about sporting clubs overseas. Almost every major Euro team has a sporting club that has developmental teams, even starting as youngsters. Eventually, the players get better and play for the home team, or be traded/sold to another.

[bilsu]

I believe Hayward could not practice with the team until he was cleared. He also had to pay his own tuition. I assume it was covered by a staudent loan that MU paid off once he was eligible. The last player to go through this was Mutok (sp) who signed with Uconn. He finally became eligible for the second semenster. Since he had not practiced they decided to red shirt him. Then he declared early for this years NBA draft.Just imagine how talented Uconn would have been if Dyson does not get hurt, Mutok was eligible from the beginning and Mills did not get kicked out of school.

[BME to MD]

Mbao looks like he could use the physical and skill development that a redshirt year could offer.  Would it be possible to redshirt him if an NCAA punishment was particularly extreme or would the sanction be delayed until after his redshirt season?

[bma725]

Mbao looks like he could use the physical and skill development that a redshirt year could offer.  Would it be possible to redshirt him if an NCAA punishment was particularly extreme or would the sanction be delayed until after his redshirt season?

Amateurism concerns take precedence over pretty much everything except academic qualification.  Redshirting him would not remove any punishment.