The Josh Selby era is getting closer.
The NCAA ruled on Friday that the Kansas freshman will be eligible to play starting on Dec. 18 against Southern Cal at Allen Fieldhouse. That means he'll be out for nine regular season games.
The official reason: accepting impermissible benefits.
The NCAA was investigating Selby for his relationship with Robert "Bay" Frazier, Carmelo Anthony's business manager. The relationship between the two and Selby's mother goes back multiple years but the NCAA suspended Selby for nine games because of benefits Frazier provided. Per KUSports.com:
The benefits include clothes, transportation, meals and lodging for Selby and his family. The university and the NCAA have determined that the value of these benefits is $4,607.58. Selby must pay back that money to a charity of his choice.
It's definitely a gray area when the business manager of a NBA player is also your long-time family acquaintance.
Asked whether it was fair, Selby said, "That’s not for me to comment on because the NCAA will do what they want to regardless. I’m just happy it’s not the entire year because it could have been worse than what it is."
Either way, the Selby era is coming Dec. 18.