⛹️‍♂️ Thijs De Ridder Official Thread

Username checks out :joy:

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Whats your favorite place you have been @WorldTraveler or maybe give the people top 5

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Let’s ask @ekandado too

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Until schools get stripped of their ability to issue student visas to foreign students, like what just happened to Harvard. I count 2 foreign players on their roster. I hope the NCAA grants them a portal waiver. Can’t imagine anyone ever considered a “had to disenroll from school because it can’t sponsor my visa anymore” exception before.

UVA’s among 60 schools that got warning letters already. Other schools of relevance to major college basketball and other local schools are American, Arizona State, George Mason, Indiana, Northwestern, Ohio State, Rutgers, Stanford, Temple, Cal, Cincinnati, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, South Florida, USC, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.

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Yep, proof. If getting NIL (or the big NIL still left) don’t they need to sign by July 1??? Also, seems like the damn is close to breaking. Thinking we hear soon (maybe next week after the holiday)

https://x.com/tobias_bass/status/1925567814460420528?s=46&t=5FASZRHgruhjFLVJKu-4pQ

https://x.com/jamieshaw5/status/1925646869574631791?s=46

Am I crazy to be somewhat concerned about the administration stepping in if the Euro to NCAA thing becomes too big of a story? Given yesterdays news it doesn’t exactly seem like an impossibility (granted I think Harvard will ultimately win that battle and it’s probably just another negotiating tactic).

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Something tells me even if that did come to pass there would be some sort of ‘special’ visa for athletes. Just a hunch

These two guys kinda look more like “traditional” Euro-to-NCAA guys. Haven’t really broken through much at the senior level for their club teams (or national teams) but have looked good in the U18-20 level.

Probably, but there have been a number of guys the past few days with similar tweets of ‘ready to explore’ the college route. Plus Tobias calling the first kid one of the top prospects in Europe

Oh I definitely get that there’s been a sea change in the balance between NCAA and Euro leagues that has increased the volume of Euro guys who want to come over. I draw a little bit of a dividing line between prospects who aren’t established yet, even if high potential, like Demin, Jakucionis, and then established pros like De Ridder, the Israeli guy HGN posted about, the German guy going to Tech, etc. The first group seems kinda normal to me and fine to encourage to come, the second group I feel more mixed on (even if it might benefit us this season).

So to be clear, what is the main concern with regard to NCAA clearing De Ridder? I thought initially the issue was more about years of eligibility but seems that his transcripts are an issue. How would they be any different than the kid who went to VT for example.

(I just do not understand this stuff at all)

I get why Odom is chasing foreign talent to fill in holes in the roster, but in the near future he may need to realize the political realities may close off that option. Even if the opportunity isn’t closed, I imagine there’s a real chill going on among foreigners who were considering coming to the US.

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I did not realize enrolling foreign kids was something that easily taken away.

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Whether legally it is or not is irrelevant, apparently.

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I would expect it to get adjudicated very quickly given the economic stakes involved for the schools.

Not to get too deep in the weeds, but what happens after adjudication?

On the one hand, I’d say it’s a pretty big political incentive to not piss off sports fan. On the other, political incentives don’t appear to matter at present.

Maluach from Duke had his visa revoked. He’s unable to leave the US right now, if he wants to reenter before the NBA draft. Are there any other South Sudanese prospects trying to get in to play college ball? If so, they are out of luck for the time being.

One of the things that will happen is international prospects will stop trying to come over to play college, because of the uncertainty. It won’t be very visible to the average sports fan because it’s something that doesn’t happen (preventing something), versus an existing player getting their visa revoked (taking something away that already exists).

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Amy Sedaris Smell GIF by truTV’s At Home with Amy Sedaris

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I’ve learned that a lot of things I took for granted may be more uncertain these days, perhaps even Marbury v Madison.

But I think at the very least, fingers crossed, that possibly public state universities in states with governors, senators or a significant number of congresspeople politically aligned with the administration may be towards the lower part of the target list.

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Each school will have to weigh the economic pros and cons of compliance. Those who choose to comply presumably will have dibs on the foreign players.

There already is one, but the O visa requires a US employer or US agent of a foreign employer to sponsor it.

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