Truth & Rumors > NCAAB

Izzo: NBA rule increases cheating

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The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette's Michael Rothstein recently wrote a story about Tom Izzo's feelings toward the NBA Draft rule. Tom Izzo has dealt with players leaving Michigan State early. His team has had five players leave before their eligibility ran out during his time with the Spartans. He knows the potential of top-flight players and the perils of taking them along with the pressure to win. "The cheating is getting worse," Izzo said. "Everyone is feeling they have to get a player for a year and try to win big. We're in this profession where you're hired to be fired, too, and because of that, I think nationwide, cheating is getting worse."

Detroit Free Press

Tom Izzo, Streeter Lecka/Getty Images Tom Izzo, Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
June 10, 2008  09:50 AM ET

Bull-
Cheating was there before & will be there after.

June 10, 2008  10:12 AM ET

But he's right...this "one-and-done" rule incentivizes schools to do anything they can to borrow a guy for a year instead of nurturing him for four.

Do you take better care of the car you rent, or the car you own?

June 10, 2008  10:39 AM ET

The problem is that the stupid rules being put in place by the NBA is making things worse rather than helping. It's not excuse for the cheating but it's just exacerbating the problem.

June 10, 2008  10:49 AM ET

Players are leaving MSU early because they are not able to keep up with those tough academic standards in East Lansing.

June 10, 2008  01:27 PM ET

He's right. Teams feel they have to get one of those one-year players. The price they pay in the long-run is not worth it. We saw that, as it happened to my hoosiers.

June 10, 2008  03:58 PM ET

hoosiers suck

June 10, 2008  04:06 PM ET

The cheating is a major problem, but I think the schools should be able to give players some money. Schools should be allowed to pay their players enough money to live off of. It is very hard for student athletes to make money from a job when they are playing ball 24-7 for a major college program so why can't the schools pay them some sort of salary that is enough for the kids to have a little fun with. GO SPARTY!!!!!!

June 10, 2008  05:33 PM ET

I agree with the sentiment that it's a stupid rule in every respect. It should be at least TWO years post high school graduating class and the NBA should insist on High School Diploma only - no GEDs. Then maybe you'd have less parents holding back their kids in grade school with less 19 and 20 year old 'freshman' ... I turned 18 AFTER my first full year in college and I don't believe that's unusual. It's no wonder these phenoms look like Men playing against Boys ... they ARE!

June 10, 2008  06:27 PM ET

When Izzo was asked to smile for the camera, he then threatened to put the reporter in choke-hold and demonstrated his intimidating juuudo chop!

June 10, 2008  08:47 PM ET

Poor Tom Izzo, he blames the NBA for cheating. Izzo must have forgotten the biggest scandal in NCAA basketball history happened before the NBA was a household name, but it has the same common denominator as today's cheating, money... CCNY won the national championship in 1950 but was the center of cheating (point-fixing) in the 50's. The players want their money too.... All of the cheating involves paying the players, so why not cut out the middleman and just pay the players... Why does the NBA have to institute a silly rule (1 year after graduating) to play ball? You can vote and die for your country at the age of 18 but heaven forbid you develop a talent of putting a ball in the basket to feed your family....

June 11, 2008  12:42 AM ET

Why does any player leaving early encourage you to cheat. Cheating is cheating, no matter the reason or excuse. All programs have players that leave or transfer, but not all resort to cheating.

June 11, 2008  01:05 AM ET

Whats the point of colleges spending so many hours and so much money recruiting a kid, when all he is going to do is leave in a year? State has been screwed by this many of times by guys who the next 1-2 years made an impact in the NBA. With that being said who knows how much better State's program would have been had they stayed in school? Its all about money Thats why I will watch college sports anytime over pro. Give me college kids on the court playing for nothing but to win a championship!!!

June 11, 2008  09:49 AM ET

"But he's right...this "one-and-done" rule incentivizes schools to do anything they can to borrow a guy for a year instead of nurturing him for four"

Huh ?

seriously- that is the COACHES problem-
you recruit OJ Mayo for example- WHO DOESN'T know he's one and done.....
- so if you want a 4 year player- you need to recruit differently-

And what SUPERSTAR talent in the last 20 years (other than Duncan) played 4 years of college ball ?
- so your point of 4 years of 'nurturing' is irrelvant......

June 11, 2008  11:26 AM ET

He is right on the money

June 11, 2008  09:05 PM ET

Izzo is making excuses. Look at Bo Ryan and the Wisconsin Badgers. They never recruit the "one and done" player and continue to win Big 10 Championships and play well in the NCAAs. Bo knows and teaches team basketball as well as anyone. He recruits team players; keeps them for 4 years and doesnt look for excueses. Bo owns Izzo.

June 12, 2008  01:29 AM ET

Dear Tom - you know the facts - if you don't like them leave - nobody will miss you !!!

June 12, 2008  02:05 AM ET

Hey Bucky Fan: A stat for you: Izzo 4 final fours, Ryan zero. If that's doing well in NCAA, you must be a Badger fan! You do well in regular season because Ryan has the refs duped. They fade at crunch time, though. By the way, we're going to thump you in football this year. Javon Ringer is way better than that lame back you guys have. Sparty On!!!

MSU 76

June 12, 2008  09:08 AM ET

The problem is that the stupid rules being put in place by the NBA is making things worse rather than helping. It's not excuse for the cheating but it's just exacerbating the problem.
The Warden | 06/10/08, 10:39 AM

Warden, if you keep making good points like this, I may find myself thinking you Michigan guys are pretty smart.

June 17, 2008  01:17 AM ET

Yea rah rah Bucky.

Before Bo Ryan the Badgers had been hanging in the celler since the glory days in the 40's. I will give props to Bo Ryan but I wouldn't be dissing Izzo.

 
January 19, 2009  09:12 AM ET
QUOTE:

I agree with the sentiment that it's a stupid rule in every respect. It should be at least TWO years post high school graduating class and the NBA should insist on High School Diploma only - no GEDs. Then maybe you'd have less parents holding back their kids in grade school with less 19 and 20 year old 'freshman' ... I turned 18 AFTER my first full year in college and I don't believe that's unusual. It's no wonder these phenoms look like Men playing against Boys ... they ARE!

Scolarships?

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