The head of an influential group representing college basketball coaches believes the Commission on College Basketball's sweeping recommendations, which the group supports, will change the system for the better.
On Wednesday, the commission -- formed by NCAA president Mark Emmert after a bribery scandal rocked the sport -- recommended lifetime bans for cheating coaches; the end of the one-and-done path to the NBA draft; college eligibility for undrafted underclassmen; and more NCAA authority on the grassroots scene.
Jim Haney, executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, said Friday he expects the commission's announcement to enhance the sport.
"If we have another episode where the Department of Justice or the FBI have to once again get involved in the business of men's basketball, the resounding response will be 'nothing's changed,'" Haney said in a video released Friday. "We have to change. We've gotta make sure that our conduct is carried out with integrity, recruiting is taking care of with integrity and we've gotta protect the integrity of our sport and the integrity of our profession going forward."
The NABC had a conference call with key members on Thursday one day after the commission released its lengthy report.
Haney said Kansas coach Bill Self and Saint Joseph's coach Phil Martelli, who are members of the NCAA oversight committee, will play key roles in implementing the recommendations in the coming months.
But Haney acknowledged rules alone will not change college basketball.
"Ultimately, it comes down to our conduct," he said. "You can have stiffer penalties, you can have more rules, you can have more stringent rules, but the people who abide by the rules now are the same people that are gonna abide by these changes."