NCAA says NO to Ali Ali ... MAC race has tightened up.
Feel bad for the kid, but talk about a cautionary tale for portal jumpers.
He could be a starter (maybe not and thats why he left) on a Top 25 team, instead he's just a student at Akron.
On that note, Reggie Bass is really struggling lately.
Since that big game vs JMU, he's averaging 7.2 points. Shooting 36% this season. 28% from 3. Only played 16 mins last night vs College of Charleston.
I read an article in the Akron Beacon and I was left pondering on the mental health topic as it relates to the portal.
Seems to be a very fine line here. Groce was quoted basically saying that Ali not being granted eligibility/lack of playing time negatively contributes to his mental health. I was pretty shocked that he went there.
Mental health needs to be taken very seriously and I understand the complexity that comes with it. As it relates to the transfer portal, this seems to be a gray area on if it meets the NCAA's threshold to grant immediate eligibility.
I mean, yeah, obviously riding the bench is going to take a hit on anybody's mental health. I've lost a starting job, it sucks, no other way to put it.
The article makes it sound like they have medical documentation from both Akron and Butler that states Akron is the best place for him. I'd be curious to know their opinion on if being part of the basketball team affects his mental health one way or another.
One of the primary criteria for waiving the one year wait period is whether the transfer was for mental health reasons. I’m sure that Akron is setting up for an appeal. Butler is in tha tank with them so that Ali is out of their hair.
The article makes it sound like the appeal was already denied, I haven't really followed this situation closely because I just assumed he transferred knowing he would be fine to play right away.
Groce said he is concerned about Ali's "mental health," and that UA will "continue to work with the NCAA in a professional and respectful manner."
"At the appeal level, the mental health waiver was denied," Groce said. "As I said in a tweet that was sent out [last week], certainly we tried to go through the process in a very respectful and professional manner. I think they feel that way. We recognize, obviously, that mental illness is real. It is documented that one in five adults experience mental illness, so we know it's real.
So... two things.
I'm sure there is a lot we won't ever know, but I think the NCAA might listen if this was in reverse. He's from Fort Wayne. He transferred TO Butler.
He'd didn't go to Akron, because he's a local kid. He went to BUTLER, because he's a local kid. Now he's back to Akron and claiming mental health reasons, or at least Groce is.
I'm not sure I buy it, and it's unfortunate they're playing this tune. Maybe Groce is the calm presence this kid needs, but why did he leave in the first place?
And if his mental health is truly the reason he finds peace further from his friends and family, he can still be with the team, he can still be with Groce, he can still be at Akron... he just can't suit up. Because there are very simple rules in place, that are tremendously lax to begin with, that he didn't follow.