AAU IS QUIETLY UNDER ATTACK PT. 3 - ALL-MET ELITE

AAU IS QUIETLY UNDER ATTACK

PT. 3

ALL-MET ELITE

CONDOLEEZZA RICE

THE NCAA COMMISSION on COLLEGE BASKETBALL

For those who believe it is a conspiracy theory without facts when told AAU is quietly under attack below you will find recent information & verified quotes from several members of the NCAA Commission on College Basketball organized to help you connect the dots. 

1.What is the NCAA Commission on College Basketball? The Commission on College Basketball has been established by the NCAA Board of Governors, Division I Board of Directors and President Mark Emmert to fully examine critical aspects of Division I men’s basketball.

Specifically, the commission will focus on three areas: The relationship of the NCAA national office, member institutions, student-athletes and coaches with outside entities.
 

2. Why was the NCAA Commission on College Basketball formed? Statement from NCAA President Mark Emmert "The recent news of a federal investigation into fraud in college basketball made it very clear the NCAA needs to make substantive changes to the way we operate, and do so quickly. Individuals who break the trust on which college sports is based have no place here. While I believe the vast majority of coaches follow the rules, the culture of silence in college basketball enables bad actors, and we need them out of the game. We must take decisive action. This is not a time for half-measures or incremental change"  

3. Who leads the NCAA Commission on College Basketball? Dr.Condoleezza Rice has agreed to chair, to work with me (Mark Emmert) in examining critical aspects of a system that clearly is not working. 

4. Who are the members of the NCAA Commission on College Basketball? 

1. Condoleezza Rice (chair), Former Provost, Stanford University; 66th U.S. Secretary of State
2. Mary Sue Coleman, President, Association of American Universities
3. General Martin E. Dempsey, U.S. Army, Retired; Chairman, USA Basketball
4. Jeremy Foley, Athletics Director Emeritus, University of Florida Athletic Association
5. Jeffrey A. Hathaway, Vice President/Director of Athletics, Hofstra University
6. Grant Hill, Owner/Vice Chairman, Atlanta Hawks
7. Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., President, University of Notre Dame
8. Mike Montgomery, Retired Basketball Coach; Analyst, Pac-12 Networks & Westwood One Sports
9. David Robinson, Founder, Admiral Capital Group
10. Kathryn Ruemmler, Former White House Counsel; Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP
11. Gene Smith, Sr. Vice President & Wolfe Foundation Endowed Athletics Director, Ohio State
12. John Thompson III, Board of Directors, National Association of Basketball Coaches

5. What is the goal of the NCAA Commission on College Basketball? Statement from Chair Condolezza Rice "The members of the commission expressed their commitment to finding lasting solutions for the problems that face collegiate basketball and reaffirmed their independence from the NCAA governance structure. Over the course of the next six months, the Commission will meet to discuss the issues, evaluate data, and engage key stakeholders. Our goal is to enhance and protect the intercollegiate athletic experience for every student-athlete and, in doing so, to safeguard the integrity of the game" "The Commission will meet to discuss the issues, evaluate data, and engage key stakeholders."

 

6. So what does this have to do with AAU/grassroots, sneaker circuits & recruiting? Specifically, the commission will focus on three areas. The relationship of the NCAA national office, member institutions, student-athletes and coaches with outside entities.

These relationships include:

Apparel companies and other commercial entities, to establish an environment where they can support programs in a transparent way, but not become an inappropriate or distorting influence on the game, recruits or their families.

 

Nonscholastic basketball, with a focus on the appropriate involvement of college coaches and others.


Agents or advisors, with an emphasis on how students and their families can get legitimate advice without being taken advantage of, defrauded or risking their NCAA eligibility.

It is safe to say not many read the official press release nor paid attention to the actual wording of it "Apparel companies and other commercial entities"

It was not until NCAA President Mark Emmert made this recent statement that raised the eyebrows of many. "Emmert said the Commission has also brought in agents and leaders from apparel companies. Youth basketball leagues — like the ones sponsored by Nike, Adidas and Under Armour, which churn out the top college prospects every year — are also an area of focus for the Commission. “They’re going to be doing the same thing with … grassroots ball,” Emmert said. “What’s that relationship? How’s it helping or hindering?"

Lets take a closer look at the thought process of some notable members of the Commission on College Basketball from the Washington D.C. and how they view AAU, grassroots, sneaker circuits & recruiting.


Grant Hill "I think in some respects I do like it, I think there are some decent programs, but for the most part I feel like it’s too much, and I do worry about it. The grassroots is important because it feeds into college and ultimately the NBA. My daughter plays AAU basketball — she’s in ninth grade — I don’t know if there’s a lot of teaching going on. I don’t know if there’s a lot of emphasis on winning and playing the right way. I think a lot of it is just showcasing your abilities and showcasing your stuff. I’m not a huge fan of it. Like I said, I think there are some really good programs. And I think, look, it showcases players and gives them an opportunity to get a scholarship to go to college and get an education, who maybe otherwise wouldn’t. But I think it’s become almost like a job and you see some of these kids at a really young age, and I just think it’s a little too much. I don’t want to indict the whole grassroots basketball culture, but I think we need to take a hard look at how we can improve it and make it better and really try to do good by the young men and women who we represent in the world of AAU basketball"
 
"You look at the draft every year, the first round, and two-thirds of the first round don’t make it. Two-thirds of those guys picked in the first round, in three years they’re not rotational players. They’re not guys who are playing significant minutes. There’s a lot of reasons for that, and so on and so forth"

David Robinson "Hopefully we’ll figure out how to train these younger guys better to be team players as opposed to be individual players. It’ll come back a little bit, you know we’re going through a time now where don’t have as many guys playing team ball, it’ll come...it will come back"

John Thompson III "I don't go in for individual heroes. Everything is directed toward creating a team and winning as a team. A kid who'll work at being a student is going to adjust to this system better than the other kind will. He'll have some habits I need. He's more likely to listen and understand. He's had some experience at doing things he doesn't much like doing. He'll have a sense of what delayed gratification means. I can coach a kid who has decided it is possible to learn things"

In 2003, after a summer filled with stories about recruiting violations and low-lighted by Dave Bliss's firing at Baylor after one of his players shot and killed a teammate, the National Association of Basketball Coaches called an ethics convention in Chicago. One of the coaches brought in to speak was former Georgetown coach John Thompson Jr.

At one point, a young, deeply religious coach stood up and said, "Coach Thompson, isn't the best thing we can all do right now is try to have a closer relationship with Jesus Christ?"

Thompson smiled, then said: "The best thing y'all (expletive) can do is stop cheating!"

The commission will have at least four meetings by March 2018, with periodic briefings to the executive and administrative committees of the boards and a final briefing to the full boards in April 2018.