WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama wants to see the college game move the shot clock from 35 to 30 seconds and increase the freedom of movement to mirror the NBA to raise scoring.
Obama, speaking to ESPN Tuesday while filling out his bracket, which will first air Wednesday on the 9 a.m. SportsCenter, wants to see change.
"I am an advocate, by the way, for the NCAA changing the rules in terms of shortening the shot clock, widening the lane, moving the three-point line back a little bit,'' Obama said. "The fact of the matter is I like how basketball is going in the NBA because it's fluid. What (Spurs coach) Gregg Popovich did with San Antonio I think is being replicated now with Atlanta and Golden State, and you're seeing a lot of teams move in that direction. I'd like to see college basketball get back to that. It's a fast game, let's get it down to 30 seconds at minimum."
The NIT postseason tournament is experimenting with the 30-second shot clock this month. The NCAA men's basketball rules committee will look at reducing the shot clock when it convenes at its annual meeting in May.