Zaglis: “We will approach the NCAA for the flow of young players-we must protect our ecosystem”

At the same time, we must recognize that this experience has now stopped being primarily academic for athletes. NCAA colleges are getting closer to being commercial, professional associations every day, and this is a challenge for our ecosystem, for the simple reason that our own system is based on a basic principle: that you can transcribe, if the contracts are kept.

Agreements must be respected. And in order for a professional basketball to be transcribed to a de facto professional such as colleges, there must be a process – say the Letter of Clearence or otherwise you want – but there must be consensus from the Association and the National Federation. And there must be guarantees: where the player is going, what will be there, what will be the athlete’s availability for the National Team and what is the consideration of the FIBA ​​ecosystem – for our clubs, our leagues, our federations and their members, who invested in the player for the player,

Thus, the Central Council decided that we would officially approach NCAA. It will not be easy, because the environment there has not yet decided how to self -regulate. There are intense controversy between key players about what the regulation will be. And we certainly come as a second regulator.

But we cannot stay with arms or ordinary observers. FIBA has an institutional duty to protect its members and at the same time support the development of its players. For some countries, this is a blessing. For some others, a challenge. It is definitely something we have to watch closely, not only for this year’s or next summer, but at the medium and long -term level.

And I would also like to think about women’s basketball – how can this evolution affect it, perhaps positively. Because today we see many players leaving during their studies or shortly afterwards. What will happen if they also get professional status and large amounts of money?