PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Big East has recommended replacing one-and-done with a two-or-none policy in college basketball, along with NCAA regulation of agents and the creation of an elite-player unit to focus on "players with realistic aspirations of playing in the NBA."
The Big East's recommendations come a week after a similar report by the Pac-12 for the NCAA's commission on college basketball, led by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The commission was created in response to a federal investigation into corruption in college basketball.
The Big East's plan calls for the elimination of the one-and-done system, which is the result of an NBA rule that prohibits its teams from drafting players until they are at least 19 or a year removed from high school.
Two-or-none would be an NCAA policy requiring basketball players who decide to go to college to commit for at least two seasons. Meanwhile, high school players who declare for the NBA draft would forfeit future college eligibility.
Similar to the Pac-12, the Big East recommended the NCAA and USA Basketball take a larger role in what it calls nonscholastic basketball -- the summer camps and AAU teams and leagues that have no affiliation with high schools but often involve shoe and apparel companies.
The Big East called for the NCAA to change rules to allow basketball players similar access to agents and advisers that is permitted for hockey and baseball players.
The proposed elite-player unit (EPU) would concentrate on several areas:
• Precollegiate guidance for players in grades eight through 12.
• Managing recruiting events.
• Agent regulation that would create more stringent certification than the NBA and its players' union currently have in place.
• The EPU would serve as a liaison to the NCAA's Academic and Membership Affairs division with respect to NCAA legislation on men's basketball recruiting
• Oversight of the relationship between the NCAA, coaches, schools and apparel companies.
• Ethics and strengthening the code of conduct for coaches in recruiting high school players and potential college transfers.
The so-called Rice Commission is expected to give its reform recommendations to the NCAA board of directors in April.