Two-Time NBA Champion Calls For Major Change At NCAA Tournament Level

Shandel Richardson | Apr 1, 2025

Mar 30, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Auburn Tigers guard Chad Baker-Mazara (10) celebrates after a play during the second half in the South Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament against the Michigan State Spartans at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

NBA great Vernon Maxwell is thrilled about the NCAA finally starting to pay college athletes.

Now, it's onto the next step.

Maxwell wants the NCAA to focus on age-limits for players. It's become common for players to spend five, six or even sometimes seven years in college.

"Pay who's supposed to get paid and all that," Maxwell said. "But, man, you've got to put an age limit on this [bleep]."

Maxwell took aim at the case of Auburn's Chad Baker-Mazara, who is 25. By that time, Maxwell was in his third NBA season.

"You got 27-year-olds [playing]," Maxwell said. "Who does this? What are we talking about?

LONGTIME NBA WRITER THROWS SHADE AT MJ

To some, NBA great Michael Jordan can do no wrong.

They only focus on the positives. That's never been the case with longtime NBA reporter Peter Vecsey. A podcast interview surfaced recently surfaced of him explaining the other side of Jordan.

He used former Chicago Bulls general manager Jerry Krause to drive home a point. Vecsey said Krause was responsible for building solid teams around Jordan in the 1990s when the Bulls won eight titles.

"People said, `so you [Krause] didn't draft Jordan,"' Vecsey said. "Well, Jordan didn't win until Krause got there. Krause put those pieces around him once, twice, three times, four times. Almost every season the components changed."'

Vecsey also pointed out Jordan wasn't in favor of trading Charles Oakley for Bill Cartwright in 1988. Oakley was one of Jordan's best friends but Cartwright wound up being a key figure in the first three-peat.

"He was against the Oakley-Cartwright trade," Vecsey said. "He was down on Cartwright. For the whole first season, he told teammates not to pass it to him in the fourth quarter. Who comes out looking stupid? [Jordan] does. Krause didn't get the credit he deserves for continually turning over the team and putting the right pieces next to Jordan."

While Vecsey appreciates Jordan's greatness, he says he was far from perfect.

"It's ludicrous," Vescey said. "People, they didn't get it. People [were like], `Oh, Michael, listen to him talk. Listen to him brag. Listen to him boast. Listen to him bully."'

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops On SI.

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