NCAA passes one recruiting proposal

By Doug Roberson

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The NCAA approved one of four proposals designed to reduce the influence on college basketball recruits that family members, AAU coaches and high school coaches can have.

Schools will not be allowed to hire a person who is associated with a recruit for a two-year period before or after a recruit enrolls. The proposal stemmed from recruiting instances involving Michael Beasley and John Wall, where colleges hired their AAU coaches seemingly in an attempt to improve their chances of signing the players.

To pass the NCAA's Legislative Committee, a proposal must receive 66 percent of the vote. If it receives less than 66 percent but more than 50 percent, it is sent back for more deliberation. Those proposals will be voted on again in April.

Three other measures were sent back, including a proposal that would prohibit institutions from using anyone not enrolled at a school, nor on the coaching staff, from teaching at a school's camps or clinics.

That proposal has met with some disagreement among coaches on the college and high school levels. Georgia Tech basketball coach Paul Hewitt said he disagreed with the proposal. Georgia's Mark Fox said he had no problem with it.

Members of the legislative committee said that many colleges raised logistical questions about the proposal, mostly focused on how they could run camps with such a limited number of employees.

The committee voted on 90 proposals on Thursday. Proposals that passed will go to the NCAA's Board of Directors for final approval Saturday, which usually is a mere formality.