Vanderbilt point guard AJ Hoggard will be suspended for one regular season college basketball game. The punishment proves once again that the NCAA cares more about optics than doing anything of value.
It is completely pointless.
Hoggard, a former four-star recruit, played the first four years of his college hoops career at Michigan State. He averaged 11.8 points, 5.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game in 29 minutes over the last two seasons.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound guard was going to turn pro after the Spartans lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year. Hoggard entered his name into the NBA Draft pool and tested the waters.
In doing so, he played in the Portsmouth Invitational. It is one of two pre-draft camps, with the second being in Orlando. The event is traditionally used to spotlight college seniors without any remaining eligibility.
Not only did Hoggard have one year of eligibility left because of the 2020 season, he ultimately withdrew his name from the NBA Draft pool and transferred to Vanderbilt. As a result of his unauthorized participation, the NCAA decided to suspend him for one singular game. Just one.
The same thing happened to Villanova forward Eric Dixon.
Source: Villanova's Eric Dixon has been suspended for one regular season game for participating in the Portsmouth Invitational.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 14, 2024
Dixon will not play in the Wildcats' opener against Lafayette on November 4th.
While the rules are the rules, these suspensions are pointless.
The Commodores will begin their season without AJ Hoggard on Nov. 4. They will play — and beat — Maryland Eastern Shore.
The Wildcats will begin their season without Dixon on Nov. 4. They will play — and beat — Lafayette.
Neither team is going to feel any kind of impact from the respective suspensions. Neither player is going to make the difference in the final outcome. Both players will be back on the floor for the next contest. They aren’t missing any practice.
A one-game suspension for what is essentially a scrimmage does not serve a tangible or constructive purpose. It’s just annoying. Either make it count or don’t issue suspension in the first place.