Izzo: Psychological health big driver of transfer waivers
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said he has “no faith” in the NCAA’s plan to restrict the instant eligibility exceptions for two-time transfers because players will continue to use issues such as psychological health to make waivers.Izzo, who likewise
said he’s against players acquiring instant eligibility if they move a 2nd time, made the remarks Friday early morning on ESPN Radio’s “Keyshawn, JWill and Max.”
Earlier this year, the NCAA sent out a memo to schools that specified players who transfer a second time won’t be given a waiver and will need to sit for a season if they move for reasons such as a coaching change or a reduction of playing time. But issues about “physical and mental health” or “physical or sexual attack” will enable a player to get approved for immediate eligibility.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated”I don’t
have a lot
of faith in the NCAA, “Izzo said.” This waiver thing. If you have actually got a hangnail, you get a waiver. I simply don’t believe in that, because I think someone, whether it’s a lawyer, whether it’s agents, whether it’s individuals, they’re going to simply develop a various factor. Psychological health is a huge reason. I just do not see why remaining is such a bad thing because 90 percent of the kids that are sitting out aren’t pros anyhow or they ‘d go professional.”
He stated the waiver system that grants players instant eligibility injures them in the long run because they do not discover to become resilient.
“I’m not for it. I’m not for anything,” Izzo said. “I just think we’re injuring decisions that kids make. I mean we have actually got 1,200. By Tuesday, we’ll have 1,500, and then we’re going to get a 2nd wave of kids in the portal. And kids are going to go locations that perhaps it’s a bit for the cash, maybe it’s because they’re worried about beating somebody else out. We all had to beat individuals out … and I believe we’re losing that. Where’s the competitive edge?”
Izzo also said hundreds of players who go into the transfer portal never ever get a chance to play anywhere. He said the movement affects the player more than the program.Those schools,
in the future, might be participating in the NCAA tournament with an expanded field. Izzo said he’s concerned about the current seeding system– Michigan State, which made a go to the Sugary food 16, made a No. 7 seed after completing third in the Big 10– and its dependence on metrics. However he’s likewise worried about an expanded field potentially watering down the postseason.
“I don’t know if I [would go] to 90 or not,” Izzo stated. “I’m all for getting more groups in … however there’s something about this competition that I hope we don’t lose. That’s the excitement of it, and it doesn’t get thinned down.”