New rules target summer recruiting, limit scholarships

Steve Addy

Friday, April 28, 2000 | 9:56 a.m.

The NCAA Division I board of directors approved sweeping reforms Thursday, aimed at cleaning up basketball recruiting, boosting graduation rates and tightening player transfers.

Among nine proposals ratified in Indianapolis, one reduces the summer recruiting period from 50 days to 40 in 2001, then eliminates summer recruiting in 2002 if a new plan isn't formulated.

Also, schools can distribute no more than eight scholarships in any two-year period and no more than five in a year; scholarships were expanded to include summer school for incoming freshmen; and midyear transfers must wait until the following academic year to be eligible. These changes go into effect Aug. 1, 2001.

Rebels coach Bill Bayno considers the measures a mixed bag, but concedes that something must be done to clean up the "shady side" of summer recruiting. Camps and tournaments, most sponsored by shoe companies and/or the AAU, could be off-limits to coaches by 2002.

"I don't see any easy solution to the summer recruiting issue," Bayno said. "We have to have an opportunity to recruit at some point. But the issue is, who controls it? (The NCAA) wants to cut down on the AAU influence, but this certainly doesn't make recruiting any easier for us."

Any potential compromise should improve high school coaches more, Bayno said.

"I think that would give (the process) more credibility," he said.

Bayno also disagreed with the scholarship limit, saying, "I don't understand that. I don't see what positive difference that's going to make."

The NCAA also took tentative action to link scholarships to graduation rates, with one proposal saying that teams would lose a scholarship if their graduation rate falls below 50 percent. The overall Division I men's basketball rate is 41 percent.

* JUST SAY NO: After this week's arrest of so-called "street agent" Nate Cebrun of Las Vegas, the result of an Alabama indictment alleging illegal payments to ex-Auburn player Chris Porter, Bayno reiterated NCAA rules to his players Tuesday.

"If they're approached by a booster or anyone else, they should say hello and goodbye," Bayno said. "That is our policy -- hello and goodbye. And they can't take anything from anybody."

* REBEL NOTES: Bayno said UNLV quarterback Jason Thomas has an open invitation to join the team after football season. "He is in my plans," Bayno said. "It's up to him and (football coach) John Robinson, but we are anxious to have him come in and compete." Thomas was a two-time prep all-stater in California. ...

Junior forward Chris Richardson might redshirt next season, depending on his summer improvement and his own wishes. Bayno is lobbying for Richardson to sit out a year. "There's no doubt that giving Chris an extra year would benefit him," Bayno said. "For the first time, he is looking at that as a positive." No decision is likely until preseason exhibitions. ...

Lou Kelly, who missed most of the season with a broken foot, will resume running next week. The Rebels hope he can begin off-season drills by May 1. ...

Bayno's backup point guard candidates will be Danny Brotherson, Donovan Stewart and Kelly. ...

Javon Banks, a 5-foot-10 guard from Las Vegas, is expected to walk on with the Rebels after his transfer from Texas Tech. ...

Before Houston hired Ray McCallum to replace coach Clyde Drexler, the job was pitched to Bayno, Rebels sources said. ...

Associate coach Glynn Cyprien isn't among the six finalists for the head coaching job at Jacksonville State (Ala.). He pulled out of the running.