The decision by the committee Wednesday in Indianapolis could be a watershed moment for college underclassmen and their coaches if players opt to return to school. Committee chair Dan Guerrero, who is also the UCLA athletic director, told ESPN that if the proposal is implemented it would be in place for the 2016 draft.

Under the proposal, which was a coordinated effort by the NCAA, the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the NBA, underclassmen would be allowed to attend the Chicago pre-draft combine in May, get evaluated by team personnel and given a true reading on their draft status. The players would then be able to decide if they wanted to stay in the draft or return to school. They couldn't sign with an agent, though.

The current draft rules don't allow a player to return to college once he officially declares for the NBA draft. The NBA would still have an early-entry deadline of late April and an official withdrawal date of 10 days before the draft, as per the collective bargaining agreement. But the NCAA would then have its own withdrawal date moved up from the week after the Final Four to sometime in mid-to-late May.

"This is a positive development for student-athletes exploring their professional dreams," said Dan Gavitt, NCAA vice president of men's basketball. "This would give prospects and their families more appropriate time and unbiased info from the NBA to make important decisions. And it would probably lead some to go back to school."

Kentucky coach John Calipari said when this proposal was originally floated that it was "one of the best things" the NABC has done. The ACC coaches initially proposed the current legislation to have one draft date for the NCAA which was different from the NBA's date. The coaches at the time complained that they wouldn't know if their players were returning until too late in the spring recruiting process to replace them.

But there has been a shift by college coaches, seeing now that the players want to test the draft process. This legislation is being billed as a positive for player development and players' rights.

Correct me if I'm wrong but, in baseball, a Collegiate baseball player is allowed to enter the MLB draft, get drafted by a Major league team, but then still have the option to remain in school? The Major league team then owns that players "rights" for 2 or 3 years??

BRIGGS wrote:Terrible--gives unlimited amount of players a way to check the system. You will have hundreds of kids do this instead of dozens who legitimately have a chance. Right now the skepticism of making a team keeps kids in school

Certain kids are going to get the scouting "pink slip" at the combine, anyway, I would think. Having the ability to reverse their mistake should be seen as a good thing...no?

I would think you would love it because we get a measurement database that can be used for evaluating player progress.

I guess we will know next year if it really works the way they hope it will.

WaltLongmire wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:Terrible--gives unlimited amount of players a way to check the system. You will have hundreds of kids do this instead of dozens who legitimately have a chance. Right now the skepticism of making a team keeps kids in school

Is that your perception, or is there something to back it up. Makes sense, but it seems to me that there are too many kids coming out who are not ready now.

Certain kids are going to get the scouting "pink slip" at the combine, anyway, I would think. Having the ability to reverse their mistake should be seen as a good thing...no?

I would think you would love it because we get a measurement database that can be used for evaluating player progress.

I guess we will know next year if it really works the way they hope it will.

Walt many kids who couldve been drafted both from the US AND international stayed out of the draft. Kris Dunn(lottery pick) Melo Trible Sabonis Daniel hamilton etc...... MANY kids. If they get a free try what the heck will stop them? It will be a hectic process.