If Micah Downs indeed decides to play NCAA college basketball again, it probably won’t be for a while.
Downs abruptly quit the Kansas University team Tuesday, just 17 games into his freshman season. KU coach Bill Self said he knew of no plans Downs may have for his academic or basketball career. Reached by cell phone Tuesday, Downs said he was uncertain about his future.
What is known is that Downs’ departure is a breach of the letter of intent he signed before arriving at KU – a document stating the school and the student-athlete are bound together for a year.
If Kansas chooses not to release Downs from the letter, the 6-foot-8 Kirkland, Wash., native won’t be able to play NCAA basketball for at least a year. Furthermore, he loses a year of eligibility.
Should KU release Downs, he won’t lose his sophomore season. From there, the best-case scenario is that Downs could suit up and play second semester of the 2006-07 season. However, given the unusual timing of Downs’ departure, he likely won’t be able to suit up in an NCAA game until the 2007-08 season.
Downs has to sit out two semesters, and unless he goes to a junior college, his down time has to be while enrolled full-time at his next school. Current KU sophomore and USC transfer Rodrick Stewart did this when he began taking classes last January and became eligible to play last month – after his second semester at Kansas wrapped up.
Problem is, the spring semester has started most everywhere, and Downs will have to hurry and get things in order at his next stop – if it’s not too late already. Downs has to enroll at his next school before the 12th day of class starts. Kansas, for example, is starting its fourth day today, but most schools started classes before KU.
Downs could go through a juco, but it wouldn’t get him back into Division I any sooner. He would have to stay at the juco a year and earn a degree – a tough task for Downs, who would have completed just three semesters by then, not counting summer.
If Downs doesn’t enroll this semester at the NCAA school where he plans on playing basketball, he’ll have to sit out the entire 2006-07 season, provided he enrolls before the fall semester.
Self didn’t definitively say Tuesday if Downs would be released from his letter of intent.
“I would say all indications are that (Downs will be released) if and when Micah handles all responsibilities toward KU,” Self told the Journal-World after landing Tuesday in College Station, Texas. “If he takes care of business and obviously everything was handled above board, I won’t let anything hold it up. I will not grant a young man a release without him fulfilling responsibilities and us knowing particulars.”
Particulars such as where Downs wants to go. It’s possible, of course, that Downs could choose not to play college basketball again – either electing to go pro or choosing to not play altogether.
For now, Downs isn’t saying what his plans might be. And, because of that, neither is Self.
“We’re not going to do anything to hold him up,” Self said, “as long as Kansas isn’t in any risk at all.”