I went to a big basketball school in the early 90s that produced several top NBA players. What UNC got caught doing was standard practice at my school and worse. The idea that there are student athletes in college basketball and football is generally a joke, especially at the top programs. Players are not in school for an education. And they are not getting paid, missing out on $100ks to millions of earnings in short pro careers. Here is my proposal to fix it:
Athletes in Div. I basketball and football must elect upon graduation from high school to go pro or to go to college on a student-athlete scholarship. Those who pick the scholarship will be ineligible to play in the NFL or NBA for four years upon leaving college. The NFL and NBA will have to establish/expand developmental leagues for college age players who want to turn pro. Instead of living in poverty while attending college and playing the silly game of pretending to be a student, pro athletes will get paid real money upon graduation from high school. The athletes who have no intention of getting an education will free up scholarship money for athletes who really want an education, but are not pro-level talent.