By ADAM ZAGORIA
The NCAA is a “ways off from a transfer proposal” despite several breathless media reports indicating the transfer rules for college basketball are set to change imminently.
“We’re still a ways off from a transfer proposal,” Michelle Hosick, the NCAA’s associate director of public and media relations, wrote Wednesday on Twitter. “We don’t have academic benchmarks, effective dates or other details that must be decided before anybody votes.”
Under current rules, student-athletes must sit a year upon transferring. One report suggested certain student athletes — perhaps those holding a 2.7 or 2.8 GPA — would become immediately eligible as soon as August.
“That’s one of the concepts out there (pairing a one-time transfer exception to GPA) but there isn’t consensus yet on exactly how to change the existing transfer rules (or if they need to be changed at all),” added a second NCAA source who requested anonymity because he’s not publicly authorized to comment.
Any report that a change in the rules is imminent “isn’t accurate,” the source said.
“I’d guess 2019 is most likely at this point but anyone saying it’s a ‘done deal’ or ‘imminent’ is wrong/getting bad information,” the source added.
Meantime, ESPN’s Mitch Sherman also reported, “Implementation remains unlikely in 2018.”
Sherman reported that the transfer working group will meet again in February.
“It’s too early to tell as to what direction it’s going,” Miami AD Blake James, chair of the DI Council, told Sherman.
Some movement today at the NCAA convention on the discussion about reforming transfer rules. The Division I Council has asked the board of directors to grant a more flexible timeline for legislation, which could potentially… https://t.co/06MzSAuH6C pic.twitter.com/gsvan3CRr8
— Mitch Sherman (@mitchsherman) January 17, 2018
