Calipari offers advice to fix NCAA issues

Kentucky+basketball+head+coach+John+Calipari+addresses+the+media+on+Friday%2C+February+23%2C+2018+about+the+upcoming+basketball+game+against+Missouri.+Earlier+in+the+press+conference%2C+UK+Athletics+Director+Dewayne+Peevy+stated+that+UK+Athletics+has+no+new+information+about+the+three+UK+men%E2%80%99s+basketball+players+that+were+named+in+the+federal+college+basketball+probe+led+by+the+FBI+in+late+February.+Photo+by+Arden+Barnes+%7C+Staff

Kentucky basketball head coach John Calipari addresses the media on Friday, February 23, 2018 about the upcoming basketball game against Missouri. Earlier in the press conference, UK Athletics Director Dewayne Peevy stated that UK Athletics has no new information about the three UK men’s basketball players that were named in the federal college basketball probe led by the FBI in late February. Photo by Arden Barnes | Staff

It’s no secret that college basketball is in need of some kind of overhaul as reports of corruption keep coming out regarding the FBI’s investigation into college basketball recruiting.

Many prominent people relating to college basketball have given their opinions on what it could take to fix the sport, and on Tuesday, head coach John Calipari took his turn.

“I say we need to work with the players association (NBPA) who oversee the agents and figure out what do they think the solution is,” Calipari said.

NCAA President Mark Emmert recently spoke on potential changes to college basketball over the weekend and said he’s considering changing the rules regarding the relationships between agents and players. Emmert said the rules relating to that are from a different age, and he hopes to see systematic changes before the start of the 2018-2019 season.

A change Calipari hopes to see if allowing players to make money off their own brand. 

“I think these kids should be able to use their likeness, make money from their signatures,” Calipari said. “It’s their name and likeness, it’s not ours, it’s theirs. They should be able to make money.”

However, Calipari believes the players shouldn’t have full access to that money and have it restricted so it’s used more responsibly.

“Maybe the school manages it and maybe the money goes to their parents for travel,” Calipari said. “Maybe there’s a limit on what they can do and the rest they get when they live here.”

Right now, college basketball players aren’t allowed to accept any money for any reason. Lots of players, such as Kevin Knox, Collin Sexton and Wendell Carter Jr. are under the microscope for allegedly having a meal with ASM Sports Agent Christian Dawkins.

Anytime a player meets with an agent, the potential to break NCAA rules is possible. To help clear up the clarity, Calipari believes players should have an adviser to help them through the process.

Calipari hopes to see the problems relating to college basketball fixed soon, but the NCAA typically handles rule violations at a slow pace, but they’ve never dealt with a problem this big before.

“The problem with the NCAA is it’s slow-moving, this one doesn’t need to be slow moving,” Calipari said. “This needs to be – it’s not going to be perfect for every program.” 

At the end of the day, Calipari just wants to see the problem fixed for the players. 

“If we stay focused on how this affects these young people, we wont make mistakes,” Calipari said. “When were worried about a bureaucracy and keeping the bureaucracy going, you’re always going to make mistakes.”