The NCAA has a microscopic amount of chill.
It seems now it took that remaining amount of chill, un-chilled it in a high-wattage microwave, drank it and used that to jolt it for the next stupid decision it had to make.
University of Houston guard Rob Gray – one of the top players in the American Athletic Conference – was suspended for the Cougars’ home opener against McNeese State because he played in a church rec league game.
Ain’t that something?
The NCAA continuously showcases how tight its grip is over its student-athletes. Many of these wrongdoings go under the national radar because they’re happening in smaller programs.
North Carolina State guard Braxton Beverly had a similar situation coming into the 2017-18 season, but even the NCAA realized it was going too far.
Beverly switched his commitment from Ohio State to N.C. State over the summer after learning of new coaching changes, but was already enrolled in a summer class at Ohio State.
The NCAA said that because Beverly took that class, he had to sit out a year and follow transfer rules.
A true freshman already undergoing transfer difficulties before even suiting up for a fall semester practice?
Of course, not all players are as lucky as Beverly. We can talk about another player in a different sport that dealt with NCAA trouble as a kicker for UCF.
Donald De La Haye was ruled ineligible for this football season because he posted videos on his YouTube channel that started .
Not only did the NCAA tell him he couldn’t produce content on social media anymore, it also wanted him to give back the money he made from ads and “his image”.
The NCAA locks players in a prison. It isn’t the law, but it sure as hell acts like one. The most disturbing point is that it picks and chooses depending on the case.
North Carolina allowed its student-athletes to take fake “paper courses” the school didn’t receive harsher penalties than a slap on the wrist and suspensions to officials.
What was the NCAA’s argument there? Well, the general student body also benefitted from the fake classes.
OK, in that case, UNC did nothing wrong? That’s obvious, right?
The NCAA will continue to make ludicrous decisions. If I’m a high-tier draft prospect — specifically for basketball — heading overseas instead of joining the college ranks might be more intriguing than playing for a corrupt organization.
We’ve seen Denver Nuggets point guard Emmanuel Mudiay do it. Former Western Kentucky commit Mitchell Robinson will bypass college and begin training for the draft, if you need a more recent example.
But, most college athletes don’t receive a chance to go overseas.
Skyler Lebron is a sports writer. Contact him at slebron@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @SkylerLebron.
Houston's Rob Gray reacts while dunking the ball as Connecticut's Kentan Facey, left, looks on, in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
