Report: Steve Kerr wants NCAA to allow undrafted players to go back to college

What's the story?

Talking to league reporters on Monday, Steve Kerr said players who leave college early to enter themselves in the NBA draft but go undrafted should be allowed by the NCAA to return to school, as reported by ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

In case you didn't know

While signing with an agent makes basketball and American football players ineligible to go back to college, the same rule does not apply to hockey and baseball players who have played at the college level. However, hockey and baseball players can also be drafted right out of high school.

The heart of the matter

Steve Kerr's full quote was

One of the things the NCAA needs to look at is, if a kid signs with an agent and he doesn't get drafted, welcome him back," Kerr said. "Why not? What's the harm? We talk about amateurism and all this stuff, but if you're truly trying to do what's right for the kid, and the kid declares for the draft and doesn't get drafted, you know what? Welcome him back. Do something good for the kids.

Multiple sources told ESPN that the NBA is also looking to do away with the one-and-done rule (players must play at least one season of college basketball to be eligible for the NBA draft) and reallow elite high school players to declare for the NBA draft. In such circumstances, current college players are slated to face even higher competition in this year's draft, leaving a number of them stranded with no clear options, come June.

What's next?

The NCAA has come under fire in recent weeks due to allegations of highly touted prospect Deandre Ayton receiving $100,000 from Arizona Wildcats' head coach via a rogue agent. Brandon Miller and Shareef O'Neal (Shaquille's son) have since de-committed from the Arizona basketball program for next season. Expect a shakeup in both the NBA's rules regarding the 2018 NBA draft, as well as movement in NCAA basketball's best campuses.

Author's take

Steve Kerr has hit the nail on the head with his thoughts on the NCAA rules. When the NCAA has already set precedent by allowing hockey and baseball players to reenter their colleges, it is but obvious that players of American football and basketball should receive similar benefits for the sake of consistency.

And in the ultra-competitive world of the NBA, a number of prospects go undrafted every year. The NCAA has nothing to lose by allowing these players to go back to college - in fact, these prospects will probably raise the level of the Final Four the following season.