UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY PLAYS HARDBALL WITH FRESHMAN

THE NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT AND AN ATHLETE’S WISH TO TRANSFER

I’m a Kentucky native and proud to be one. But I’m not proud of what the University of Kentucky basketball program has done to Joe Crawford.

Crawford, a 6′ 4″ McDonald’s All-American from Detroit, is a college freshman. He wanted to transfer. The University of Kentucky said that wasn’t OK.

Here is the background: Crawford got some playing time early this season but not so much lately as Tubby Smith settles into his rotation.

Oh, Crawford could transfer, but he’d have to pay for the schools investment in him. Smith – or Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart may well be the real villain here – wouldn’t let Crawford out of his National Letter of Intent. So the freshman – who has played twelve career games with the university – would be a junior the next time he plays in a game.

Crawford wanted to go to Michigan State University. Kentucky not only was holding him hostage, the school stonewalled its answer until it was too late for Crawford to enroll at Michigan State for the spring semester.

Read more The National Letter Of Intent is binding even if the coach leaves – the old “you sign with a college and not with a coach” line.