Friday, April 13, 2007
Julian Wright declared himself eligible for the NBA Draft earlier this week and other Kansas players, namely Brandon Rush, continue to weigh their options. But almost as important as determining their draft potential is maintaining their eligibility should they decide to return.
Theresa Becker, associate athletics director for Compliance, said her staff worked actively with student athletes to ensure that they understood what could negate their eligibility. While it is legal to have an adviser during the process, that adviser could be considered an agent if they market the player to a professional team. Any written or verbal agreements made regarding representation or any type of benefit received by the player could also cause a loss of eligibility.
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I also tell them whatever you do, do not accept benefits, I don’t care if it’s a can of soda, I don’t care if it’s a slice of pizza, I don’t care if it’s a ride from the gym to your dorm, do not accept anything from an agent. Period. Just do not do it.
Theresa Becker, associate athletics director for Compliance
Becker said it seemed very simple, athletes shouldn’t agree hire anyone or sign anything in order to avoid forfeiting their elegibility.
“But you’d be surprised at how twisted some things can get. Some of these individuals, unfortunately, they push the envelope,” Becker said, referring to sports agents.
Becker said that one problem was athletes that received gifts from agents.
“I also tell them whatever you do, do not accept benefits, I don’t care if it’s a can of soda, I don’t care if it’s a slice of pizza, I don’t care if it’s a ride from the gym to your dorm, do not accept anything from an agent. Period. Just do not do it,” she said.
For Compliance, ensuring the eligibility of University athletes is a full-time job. Kansas Athletics employs five full-time compliance employees, as well as a law intern and a graduate assistant. Becker said they planned to hire another graduate assistant soon. When she arrived in November 2005, there were only two compliance employees. A larger staff allows more careful analysis of potential issues on a case by case basis, as well as constant education for players, coaches and administrators.
With a 450-page rule book that is amended annually, questions about interactions between agents and college athletes are only a small portion of what the compliance staff deals with.
Associate Athletics Director Jim Marchiony said doing research in advance helped avoid problems later.
“A line-by-line knowledge of the NCAA rule book is not critical, but you have to know enough to say, ‘Hey, wait a minute, that might not be permissible by NCAA rules so let me check with compliance,’ ” he said. “Our motto is ‘Ask before you act.’ ”
When it comes to basketball players trying to determine their draft prospects, the consequences can be harsh if they make an agreement with an agent or accept any type of compensation.
“Professional sports organizations, they know the rules, professional sports agents, they know the rules,” Becker said. “Unfortunately, once they get a student athlete to cross the line, technically, there’s no going back.
“At an institution like the University of Kansas, we’re fortunate enough to deal with this on a yearly basis,” she said.
Kansan staff writer Kyle Carter can be contacted at kcarter@kansan.com.
— Edited by Trevan McGee
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