Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski has a simple way to stop the confusion regarding transfer waivers in college basketball: stop allowing them.
"There should be no exceptions," Krzyzewski told ESPN.com. "Everybody should have to sit out, that includes a fifth-year player, just to make it equal. I think it's a farce, really."
The NCAA has come under scrutiny after a number of recent transfer decisions, and the reason, Krzyzewski believes, is a lack of consistency.
Although he'd prefer to see the entire process eliminated, he said, at worst, the NCAA should take an all-or-nothing approach.
"Giving certain kids the right to play and others not the right to play, it should be done the same," he said. "If they want to let everybody play right away, then let everybody play right away. Everybody should be treated the same. I don't understand why there are exceptions to this rule."
Former Missouri guard Michael Dixon, who left Mizzou after being accused of sexual assault, was permitted to play at Memphis immediately.
Ex-Louisville forward Rakeem Buckles was denied his appeal to play at Minnesota.
Buckles, who twice tore his ACL in three seasons with Louisville, transferred to Florida International for his senior season, sitting out last year. He opted to follow his coach, Richard Pitino, to Minnesota after FIU was banned from the postseason because of a low academic progress rate and appealed to play immediately. He was denied, even though former UConn big man Alex Oriakhi was approved in his transfer to Missouri and FIU's Malik Smith was given the OK at Minnesota.
"I'm just blown away by it," Louisville coach Rick Pitino told ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman after the NCAA's decision. "It makes no sense. It's amazing the NCAA can do this."
Just last week the NCAA reversed itself in the case of Kerwin Okoro. A New York native, Okoro played sparingly as a freshman at Iowa State while dealing with the deaths of his brother and father. He decided to transfer to Rutgers and petitioned the NCAA to play immediately.
The NCAA originally denied his request but, on appeal, agreed to allow Okoro to play.