Big Ten floats the idea of freshman ineligibility

Whenever the idea is suggested in connection with football or basketball, somebody always hyperventilates over an NFL or NBA team wasting a draft pick, as if that's something anybody else on the face of the earth (particularly the athete) should give a flaming shit about.

 

Maybe this is a money-grab, in the sense that a freshman team with future lottery picks, playing in a freshmen-only league, could be like having 2 marquee teams at a place like Kentucky. Fans pay to see varsity, and separately they pay to see the freshmen team.

 

The most publicized game of the year in the 1965-1966 season (prior to the tourney final between Texas Western and Kentucky) was the preseason game between two-time defending champs UCLA and the UCLA freshman with some kid named Alcindor. Freshmen won by like 20.

 

Anybody who averages 15 ppg for the freshman team is going to declare for the draft anyway.

 

The problem the college game faces is none of these guys are stars in their own right. They don't stick around long enough to be recognized by the average fan. We don't hear their name for 2-3 seasons in preseason hype. The true potential NBA players we hear about for one, maybe two, seasons, then they go to the NBA.

The best 100 players in college basketball - SBNation.com

 

The popularity of the Tournament's the other problem. People simply don't pay attention to college basketball until March any more.

 

This is 100% true among the people I know, at least. They snooze through the regular season and are ready to drink and gamble come tournament time.