Condoleezza Rice: NCAA Rules Are 'Incomprehensible'

Condoleezza Rice: NCAA rules are 'incomprehensible,' says athletes should be paid for use of likeness.

Commission on College Basketball chair Condoleezza Rice says that college athletes in all sports should be able to profit from their names, images and likenesses.

In a 60-page report released last month the Commission on College Basketball called for those in charge to take control of the sport by reforming the one-and-done rule, allowing players to return to school if they go undrafted by the NBA and getting rid of coaches who cheat by banning them for life. 

Although it slammed the rules, the report had little to say about athletes and the possibility of earning cash while still being eligible to play. 

"When the legal parameters relevant to this issue are clearer, the Commission also believes that the NCAA should reconsider its treatment of student-athletes NIL,” the Commission’s report said. “In the current legal setting, however, the Commission has decided to focus its recommendations on supporting the college model. It seeks to address the charge of player exploitation in other ways.

Rice clarified her stance on the issue, but said there are still legal issues that are preventing athletes to profit.

"We believe that students ought to be able to benefit from name, image and likeness but you can’t decide a program until you know the legal parameters,” Rice told USA Today. “That was the point. I think some of the commentary suggested that we didn’t really speak on this issue. I think we did speak on this issue, it’s just that we understand there’s a legal framework that has to be developed first.”

Rice went on to say that the current NCAA rules are "incomprehensible" "And sometimes when something’s incomprehensible, you have to go ahead and say, ‘This is incomprehensible,’ which means it probably isn’t right. And I thought that in the report, we were pretty clear, that we think the framework doesn’t work," she said.