Emmanuel Mudiay, who was the top-rated point guard prospect entering the 2014-15 NCAA basketball season, had signed an agreement to play at Southern Methodist University. After discussions with head coach Larry Brown and the Mudiay family, Emmanuel bolted from SMU to play a year of professional basketball overseas instead of NCAA basketball. (Source: CBS Sports)
Each year in the NCAA, the recruitment of high school basketball players is the life blood of any team. Without the recruiting of players, schools would not have basketball programs, and the players would have to find alternative means to try and make it in the NBA.
In the NCAA, players are heavily recruited by schools all across the country. Players who are considered to be "high-profile" talents receive more offers than the players who may not be as talented. The players narrow down their list of schools that they would like to play for, and then choose from there. Some players like to make their decision known early, by making a verbal commitment to a particular institution. Others wait for "National Signing Day", which is when players are officially able to accept offers from schools.
The debate for this post surrounds the idea of the letters of intent that these players officially sign on National Signing Day. Are they contracts? Are all the facets there beforehand, in the recruiting process, to make it a contract?
Below, I will define what a contract is, and go into the four steps of the contract process, and then look into whether or not they are contracts. I will then dig deeper into the situation surrounding Emmanuel Mudiay, who backed out of his letter of intent with Southern Methodist University to go play basketball overseas in China.
In the NCAA, players are heavily recruited by schools all across the country. Players who are considered to be "high-profile" talents receive more offers than the players who may not be as talented. The players narrow down their list of schools that they would like to play for, and then choose from there. Some players like to make their decision known early, by making a verbal commitment to a particular institution. Others wait for "National Signing Day", which is when players are officially able to accept offers from schools.
The debate for this post surrounds the idea of the letters of intent that these players officially sign on National Signing Day. Are they contracts? Are all the facets there beforehand, in the recruiting process, to make it a contract?
Below, I will define what a contract is, and go into the four steps of the contract process, and then look into whether or not they are contracts. I will then dig deeper into the situation surrounding Emmanuel Mudiay, who backed out of his letter of intent with Southern Methodist University to go play basketball overseas in China.