Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton gained a backup point guard and lost another one last summer via the NCAA's rule permitting athletes who have earned their undergraduate degrees to transfer and gain immediate eligibility. His thoughts on the rule are not surprising.
"I'm all for whatever's in the interest of the young man," Hamilton said. However, "it is a little awkward when you invest that much time and effort into a youngster and then the moment when he's at his best, you lose him."
Hamilton might have experienced that awkwardness most keenly when the Seminoles played Georgia Tech last Wednesday in Tallahassee. Coming off the bench for the Yellow Jackets was guard Pierre Jordan, to whom Hamilton had awarded a scholarship and coached for three seasons. Jordan contributed three rebounds and an assist in his new team's unsuccessful effort to defeat his old team and coach. After earning his degree in three years from Florida State, Jordan transferred to Tech last summer with two years of eligibility remaining.
"I think it's a wonderful rule, because it doesn't hold kids back," said Jordan, a Dunwoody High grad.
Jordan is one of 15 Division I men's basketball players this season who have taken advantage of an NCAA rule granting immediate eligibility to athletes who have earned their degrees and seek to earn a graduate degree at another Division I school. Six of them either left or joined an ACC or SEC school, or did both. The numbers were compiled by STATS LLC for the Associated Press. Tech coach Brian Gregory thinks the numbers may increase in coming seasons.
"One, because guys are just starting to figure out they can do that," he said.
Monday, Gregory conceded he hadn't given the issue much thought, but stood in favor of it because it can help players earn a graduate degree and possibly receive more playing time at another school. Other coaches are a little more cautious about it.
"It can seem unfair, like you can pick up a free agent, especially in college, an older and mature free agent," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "I think I would vote on the basis of what's best for the young man, but it's something that should be discussed, there's no question about it."
Like Krzyzewski, Georgia coach Mark Fox cautions against a free-agency situation in college basketball, and wants athletes to be fair to their original schools. However, he supports athletes who do want to pursue a degree not offered at their school.
"We all sit here and preach that [graduating players] is what we're striving for," he said. "When a kid does have a degree, he should have some lenience on what he wants to do."
A little-used backup at Florida State, Jordan realized he could graduate in three years midway through last season, he said. Jordan had gone to summer school each year at Florida State and last summer loaded up with 19 hours to earn his diploma.
Having taken a medical redshirt his first year in Tallahassee, he has a year of eligibility after this season, is playing more minutes for the Jackets and is close to home. Jordan
is enrolled in Tech's building construction school, which he said was not a small factor in his decision.
"Basically, it was just a move that I had to make for me to better myself, look out for myself for the future so I could provide for my family," he said.
Jeff Peterson is the guard that Hamilton gained at Florida State. He came from Arkansas after coach John Pelphrey was fired. Peterson acknowledges the coaching change and the chance to play for a competitive team was a factor, but so was the opportunity to earn a master's marketing degree, a program Arkansas doesn't offer.
Peterson said he understands coaches who believe that players should have loyalty to their team and coach, "but at the end of the day, it should be about the kid."
As for whether he represents the free-agent scourge decried by coaches, Peterson has some insight on the matter. Peterson actually transferred to Arkansas from Iowa, where he was recruited by coach Steve Alford. But by the time Peterson arrived on campus, Alford had left for New Mexico.
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