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Eli Carter, Joseph Young highlight list of six transfers waiting on a waiver

Eli Carter, Kyle Smyth

Rutgers’ Eli Carter (5) pushes away from Seton Hall’s Kyle Smyth (10) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, in Piscataway, N.J. Carter had 14 points in Rutgers’ 57-55 win. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

AP

Transfer rules are one of the most hotly debated topics in college basketball during the offseason.

Should players be forced to sit out a season if they want to change schools? Should the rule be disbanded, allowing everyone to be eligible immediately if they do decide to leave school? Should there be waivers in place to allow certain athletes to chance to be eligible immediately if a certain set of criteria are met? Does it make sense for the NCAA to evaluate hardship? Are graduate transfers really fair?

It’s been discussed so much that I’ve reached the point that I’m sick of the conversation. Nothing makes a college hoops scribe yearn for the season to begin more than listening to repeated arguments about amateurism and rule changes.

The debates, however, have allowed us to overlook the fact that there are still a handful of big name transfers waiting on waiver rulings:

Eli Carter, Florida: Carter left Rutgers this offseason after the Mike Rice scandal erupted in April. The 6-foot-2 lead guard is expected to get a waiver that will allow him to play immediate for Billy Donovan’s club, which would help the Gators with their back court depth, especially if Scottie Wilbekin’s suspension lasts into the season.

Trae Golden, Georgia Tech: Golden abruptly left Tennessee in May, opting to transfer to Georgia Tech where he is trying to obtain a waiver to play immediately due to the health of his father. The Yellow Jackets have some perimeter talent and front court size returning, and Golden could be the piece that turns Georgia Tech into a team with a shot at making the NCAA tournament.

Royce O’Neale, Baylor: O’Neale left Denver this spring after playing his sophomore season to transfer back to his native Texas. The Killeen, TX, native has a sick grandfather; Killeen is about a hour from Waco. O’Neale is a talented wing that averaged 11.2 points in a slowed-down system at Denver. He’s not a difference-maker, but he’d be a nice piece for Scott Drew on the wing.

Angel Rodriguez, Miami: Rodriguez left Kansas State a year later than most expected, heading home to be closer to his family. Rodriguez may benefit from sitting out the 2013-2014, as the Hurricanes lost everyone from last year’s ACC champs.

Ahmad Starks, Illinois: Starks, a Chicago native, transferred out of Oregon State to head closer to home to be with his Grandmother, who is reportedly suffering from Alzheimer’s. Illinois has a number of talented back court pieces on the roster, but a lot of them are young. Starks would bring some experienced depth to Jon Groce’s club.

Joseph Young, Oregon: Young is the most interesting transfer case on this list. He left Houston this spring as his father was reassigned to a position in the athletic department outside the basketball program. Young has two seasons of eligibility remaining but only two years to use them thanks to a forced-redshirt season as a freshman. He originally signed with Providence but backed-out of his NLI after his dad was rehired by the Cougars. He was forced to sit a season, but didn’t use a year of eligibility. If he doesn’t get the waiver, 2014-2015 will be his last season in college basketball. If he does, he will be another weapon in a talented Oregon backcourt. Young averaged 18.0 points as a sophomore.

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