So I was watching a little of Murray St and St Marys basketball. During the play the announcer mentions one player for St Marys and states he's one of 5 players on the St Marys team from Australia. That's right, 5 scholarships for Australian players on one team. So I go to their website. Of course they don't mention DOB or age. I checked the one guy mentioned and found he played 3 years at something like the University of Sports in Australia and helped the national team qualify for the London Olympics. Now fair is fair. An American born and accepted player gets 4 years of college ball. 5 if he redshirts. I've always known that foreign players don't have to comply with age restrictions. But why can a player play ball at The University of Sports for 3 years and then walk into an American college, take up a valuable scholarship and start all over. It's just he's older, wiser, more polished and about as close to a professional as he can be. I say... the rules for all should be the same. And what does it say for a college program that deliberatly goes over seas to gather seasoned veterans/semi pros to compete against 18 year olds for Podunk high. It's not right. It's like Japan having 15 year olds in Little League. Oh wait, they've done that. LOL
1) There aren't age restrictions in college athletics 2) There are rules, see Enes Kanter 3) Just because there is a "university" or "academy" name attached to something doesn't mean players are in college or anything like that. No different than a post-grad programs or reclassing in the states where players may not be mature enough (or smart enough) so they repeat a year (see Plumlees)
But to do it for 3 years and play on the national team is a bit over the top. These guys are 24 or 25 as freshmen with 3 or 4 years more experience. How would you like to have Koby or Labron playiing against your team tomorrow.
"NCAA Division I, if a student-athlete has participated as an individual or as a team representative in organized sports competition, that kind of participation during each 12-month period after his/her 21st birthday and prior to initial full-time collegiate enrollment will count as one year of varsity competition in that sport. Any participation in organized competition during time spent in the U.S. armed services will be excepted. Therefore, a 25 year old senior is the max for Div. I assuming they particpated in some organized activity in the sport. If they did not, or if it was as part of the military, their eligibility remains open and there is no limit on age."
I definitely agree its a flawed system when it comes to grassroots basketball and the legality of it all. AAU-shoe teams can be showered with bags of shoes, jerseys, backpacks, etc. and it's completely legal but then, 10 minutes down the road, a kid can lose eligibility if he does an "unlawful" for fundraiser to put money towards his AAU trips. You have guys reclassing, doing Post-grad years, etc. etc. and sometimes not entering into college until they're 20 or so years old and it's all completely legal.
