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I am not technologically savy enough to provide a link, but there is a major story on ESPN website about the relationship and issues between the Indiana Elite AAU program, Adidas, Indiana University, and a foundation called A-Hope.

While this is not related to VU's basketball program, it will be interesting reading for those of you that follow recruiting of players.  It provides a glimpse into the relationships between the shoe companies, elite AAU programs, and the coaches/organizers involved.

lowposter

The more I think about this Masters Degree transfer rule, the more it seems similar to the salary cap in professional sports.  Stick with me on this.

You have one scholarship left, perhaps due to a player leaving the program.  What do you do with it?  Is there an incoming freshman flying under the radar that you can use it on?  By May, that seems improbable.  Most of the known talent has been signed.  

Go the Juco route?  That is a possibility, with certain risks involved.

Go out of the country?  More risks.

So, you "sign" a player to a one year deal.  Your "salary cap" is hit for only one year.  You can recruit all summer and fall for a high school player to fill that spot in one year.  Your risk is minimized to only one year.  You dont stretch for a player.  You end up with:
1.  A college player with 2 and more than likely 3 years experience.
2.  A young man or woman with a certain level of maturity (age 22 or over).
3.  A player without any educational risk.


This will be an interesting rule.  Watch certain schools really use this to their advantage.

Just my thought.

Can someone clarify the role of a prep school?

In today's Times, it was reported that Filer of BN and Jones of Merrillville are probably heading to Prep Schools.  Both have legit offers on the table from D1 schools. 

1.  Is the extra year of physical maturity attractive to a higher level of D1's?
2.  Does the academics play a role in the decision.  Are these preps for the most part "college preparation" schools or is the role simply to advance the basketball careers?
3.  What cost is involved and are most of the players on scholarship?
4.  How do these prep schools compare to local academies such as LaLamuer and Culver?

Lowposter