It might not seem important that USC guard Gabe Pruitt was academically ineligible following the spring semester because he turned pro anyways, but the Trojans could lose a scholarship next year if Pruitt’s ineligibility lowers the team’s Academic Progress Report score below acceptable limits.
“It’s a possibility,” USC coach Tim Floyd said.
The NCAA does not automatically penalize schools when an athlete turns pro early, if that athlete is in good academic standing. For example, Nick Young’s early departure is not expected to hurt the Trojans’ APR score.
The Trojans already fell below the minimum score of 925 (roughly 60 percent graduation rate) in this month’s ratings but were not penalized because of a squad-size adjustments for sports with small rosters.