OT: While we discuss ethics

49ers Basketball Forum 🏀
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Some of you may remember Josh King, who played against the 49ers season before last. East Carolina pulls 7 scholarships (2 for NCAA penalties) and UNC Greensboro pulls four.

[B]Trinity stars shown door
King, Everette lose their college basketball scholarships[/B]
By Steve Hanf, High Point Enterprise Sports Writer
March 29, 2006

TRINITY – Josh King and Dustin Everette, who thrilled area fans in leading the Bulldogs to the 2004 state championship, saw their college basketball futures take sudden turns for the worse this week.

King, the state’s all-time leading 3-point shooter in the prep ranks, was told by the coaching staff at East Carolina University that his scholarship would not be renewed for next season. Everette, the key big man on Trinity’s title-winner, heard the same news at UNC Greensboro.

“College basketball is not what the average person thinks it is. It’s a business,” Bulldogs coach Tim Kelly said. “I think if a school signs you and you’re busting your rear end, doing the things you’re supposed to do, they should honor (the scholarship).” King played well in his freshman season in Greenville before Ricky Stokes replaced Bill Herrion as head coach this year. As a sophomore, King appeared in only 17 games and took just 27 shots, averaging 6.5 minutes per night for the Pirates (8-20).

Upon arriving at campus after spring break, King said he and six other scholarship players were told the news in individual meetings with the coaching staff.

“They said, ‘You’ve done everything we’ve asked, you’re a good student, we want you back, but … we can’t have you here on scholarship,’ ” King recalled of the discussion. “They’ve been telling us for a while that there would be changes made, but I didn’t see them doing that to me. My freshman year I held my own, and I didn’t get a chance at all this year. But I never asked one time about playing time.” King said ECU’s loss of two men’s basketball scholarships for failing to meet the NCAA Academic Progress Rate played a role in the shakeup. As for his future, the second-year business/marketing major said he’ll finish out the semester and start looking for a new hoops home.

If he transfers to a Division I squad, he still must sit out a year per NCAA guide- lines. King said he called High Point University, but the Panthers didn’t have any available scholarships.

He considered an invited walk-on role at N.C. State coming out of high school and could go that route again, but he also plans to visit D-II Merrimack College near Boston next week.

“I’m trying to keep my options open,” King said. “I honestly like Coach Stokes and the staff. Things happen for a reason. Maybe this is the best thing that could happen for me.” Everette likely will just finish out his college career as a student, said Kelly, who talked to both of his former players in recent days.

Everette played in just eight games this season for the 12-19 Spartans under coach Mike Dement, who reportedly pulled four other scholarships along with Everette’s. Fran Mc Caffery recruited the Trinity center before leaving for Sienna.

“Even if a new coach comes in, if you’re doing all the things you’re supposed to be doing, they should still honor it,” Kelly said.

“I’m really disappointed in UNCG and East Carolina. I’d have a hard time recommending them to anyone right now.”

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I recall King’s first game for ECU…he hit 3 3’s and a total of 11pts for the Pirates in the BCA in Raleigh. He peaked a little too early.

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“College basketball is not what the average person thinks it is. It’s a business,” Bulldogs coach Tim Kelly said.

Upon arriving at campus after spring break, King said he and six other scholarship players were told the news in individual meetings with the coaching staff.

“They said, ‘You’ve done everything we’ve asked, you’re a good student, we want you back, but … we can’t have you here on scholarship,’ ” King recalled of the discussion. “

“I’m really disappointed in UNCG and East Carolina. I’d have a hard time recommending them to anyone right now.”

Who in the world do these schools think they are going to get to fill their open scholarships? No one in their right mind would choose to go there right now. If I knew someone who was considering playing for that coach I’d tell 'em to stay the **** away.

As a contrast, note how the coaching staff at our school handled the situation with Charles Hayward.

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Also note how our school handled the Kenny Whitehead, Johnathan Neely and a few others situations.

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I didn’t know yanking a promised scholarship was legal. I thought once the recruit signed out of high school that the university was bound to the terms of the signing also. Unless the kid(s) broke some school policies, I don’t see how any school can get away with this. Of course, the coach can say “you aren’t going to get any PT from hereon” and try to force said player to transfer. If the player elects to stay and ride the pine, then he should have that right and be able to retain his scholarship if he wants to attend that university. I have no idea how the situations with Neely and Whitehead were handled other that it was announced that they were leaving. That said, if they wanted to keep their scholarship then they should have been allowed to. The kids should not be cast aside because the coach made an error in judgement on their talent or because he simply wants to give that scholarship to somebody else. I know this goes on everywhere, but the NCAA should be doing something to protect kids like this.

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Athletic scholorships are a one year commitment, in theory players have to make the team every year. The kid can remain in school and get a degree, but the athletic department can choose not to pay for it. The reality is that coaches don’t often take this approach if an athlete isn’t measuring up because it can negatively impact recruiting. Most of the time they sit the player down and talk realistically about their role on the team and playing time–which will be zero if the coach wants them to leave. Player get the message and transfer. Usually this results in a better fit for the player and a chance for a happier college experience. Still, it is one aspect of college sports that just feels icky.

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This is from athletic dept run by Terry “Hatchet Man” Holland who has fired the football coach, basketball coach, baseball coach, and the entire men’s soccer program in his short stint.

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I really hope all of our underclassmen are back this fall.