news-record.com

The NCAA's board of directors on Thursday agreed to start
formal discussion of an ACC proposal that would require underclassmen to decide
their NBA draft status by mid-April of each year.

The
panel's decision does not endorse the proposal; it merely fast-tracks the idea in
the legislative process for consideration in January. The board's other choice
was to table the measure and postpone it indefinitely.

"We
will also communicate with coaches groups, our governance structure, conferences
and the NBA in order to talk about their positions and consider possible
amendments if they are appropriate," said David Berst, the NCAA's vice
president for Division I.

The
ACC-sponsored policy seeks to alter a timetable that some coaches consider burdensome
to their programs. As things stand now, underclassmen can rescind their
declaration for early draft entry as late as June - well after the NCAA's
spring signing of prospects has closed. The rule, if passed, would require
players to make final decisions around seven to 10 days after the Final Four, a
time frame roughly coinciding with the mid-April start of the signing period.
Once the date passes, players would not be allowed to withdraw from the draft
and retain NCAA eligibility.

The
issue will next be considered at the NCAA's convention in January. If it
proceeds up the food chain normally and passes, it could be implemented by the
2010 draft.