Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball coach Matt Painter is not in favor of the fifth-year graduate transfer rule, even though he is benefiting from it in getting Michigan transfer Spike Albrecht.
Painter, who was on Thursday's ESPNU College Basketball podcast, said players haven't used the rule for its true intent -- academically seeking a master's degree at a new school.
"Eighty percent of these guys are doing it for basketball reasons, if not more," Painter said.
"Are they going to get a master's degree? Well, the NCAA's paying for it for one year, and we all know most master's degrees are two years," Painter said.
Painter said he told Albrecht that he had to come to Purdue this summer to enroll in the master's program.
Albrecht, who was slowed by double-hip surgery at Michigan, was a star during the 2013 national title game loss to Louisville but was never able to stay healthy enough to benefit off that performance. He joins a Purdue team that won 26 games and is now looked at as a Big Ten title contender with the decisions by freshman Caleb Swanigan and sophomore Vince Edwards to withdraw from the NBA draft and return to school.
Painter said he is in favor of the current NBA draft rule that allows underclassmen to go to the Chicago combine and work out for teams. (Swanigan was invited; Edwards was not.) Players can't sign with an agent and must withdraw by May 25. But Painter said the players who withdraw are all second-round picks or undrafted players. He said it's tough for an NBA team to make a guarantee to players when the draft is still a month away.
Painter said the key for coaches will be to sign five players in the early-signing period in November to offset the possibility of losing a key player in the spring to the draft.
"Every coach used to try to get old and stay old,'' Painter said. "Now you have to get as many quality young guys as you can.''