NCAA approves waiver allowing schools unlimited official visits in basketball

The NCAA has approved a blanket waiver to allow schools an unlimited number of official visits in men’s and women’s basketball, effective immediately, according to a memo sent out to NCAA members and obtained by The Athletic on Thursday.

The men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees recommended the blanket waiver due to roster depletion concerns in the current transfer environment.

Previously, schools were capped on the number of official visits they could host. The blanket waiver is expected to alleviate that amid greater movement in the transfer portal, with fewer restrictions to player movement than ever before.

It addresses the combined impact of the one-time transfer rule, transfer portal windows and multi-time transfers being immediately eligible.

The blanket waiver may turn into legislation if two pending legislative proposals are adopted by the Division I Council in June.

The idea is that each team can determine how many official visits are necessary to maintain its basketball roster from year to year.

It serves as the latest example of the NCAA loosening its rules to benefit current and future athletes amid an internal push to do so and as pressure mounts from the courts and Congress related to athlete empowerment.

Required reading

(Photo: Eakin Howard / Getty Images)