An Impermissible Benefit

The following article was written by Cyle Kiger.

Nearly every high school senior planning to go on to higher education visits college campuses either in-state or nation-wide.  Mr. Basketball out of Illinois, Ryan Boatright, was suspended by the NCAA for six games due to impermissible benefits his mother received while attempting to attend campus visits during Boatright’s college selection process.  Boatwright ultimately chose the University of Connecticut.

NCAA rules say that while recruiting athletes, the university must only pay for the of the athlete’s fees, so Tanesha (Ryan Boatright’s mother) got the money to travel with Ryan from Reggie Rose, Derrick Rose’s older brother and Ryan Boatright’s A.A.U. coach.  The airfare that was graciously lent to Tanesha is considered the impermissible benefit.

The NCAA is punishing an athlete and the UConn Huskies for money lent to the athlete’s mother by suspending the young player for six games.  But what choice do the parties involved have?  The NCAA is a powerful association that makes rules that work against families that are underprivileged. Rose is not a booster or an agent, just a friend of the Boatright family that wanted to help the single mom attend universities that her son could prospectively attend.  I think that the NCAA has some serious issues within their rules that need to be looked at.  Investigation is pending in the case of Boatritght.  Meanwhile the NCAA seemingly has a case much like this weekly.