Ever since the NCAA made the decision to cancel March Madness, along with the entire springs sports season, due to the coronavirus pandemic, questions have been raised as to what to do about scholarships for the affected student-athletes.
The Division I Council Coordination Committee declared that "eligibility relief is appropriate for spring sports," meaning that spring athletes will be able to get an extra year back. But that still leaves the issue of what to do about seniors who missed out on this year's NCAA Tournament and other winter sports whose championships were canceled.
Naismith Hall of Famer and Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski gave his thoughts on the NCAA's decision and what steps should be taken in the future regarding those athletes in a video distributed by Duke basketball.
DeCOURCY: It's madness to assume a champion can be identified without the NCAA Tournament
“There’s tremendous empathy for the student-athletes...”
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) March 13, 2020
Coach K’s thoughts on an unprecedented situation ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/4GMe8YI3ZB
“There is tremendous empathy for the student-athletes,” Krzyzewski said, “especially the seniors, first of all on the basketball teams because it’s at the end of our season. March Madness. It’s one of the, really, gifts that our country has. It makes everyone feel better. These are moments that these kids work hard for and live for.”
Krzyzewski added that he believed the NCAA should renew eligibility for all the spring sports seniors and should have a conversation about doing the same for basketball seniors who might have qualified for this year's NCAA Tournament, had it not been canceled.
“Although only about 20 percent of the NCAA men’s basketball teams have made it — most seasons were over already — it would be appropriate to just take a look at what they would do with seniors,” Krzyzewski said. “The seniors being eligible for spring sports is something that should be done. I think when they do that they should put on the table for discussion what should be done with the kids who were not able to finish their senior years playing basketball.”