NAIA basketball consolidating to one division in 2020-21 season.

The NAIA Council of Presidents approved the consolidation of Division 1 and Division 2 of men's and women's basketball effective with the 2020-2021 season.

Starting in 2021 there will be one national tournament for the men and one for the women. Each tournament field will be 64 teams with either 32 or 16 teams to advance to the national site. Early round games will be played in regional tournaments.

Each team can provide up to 8 scholarships. Currently D1 can provide up to 11 scholarships and D2 can provide up to 6 scholarships.

Follow this link to the announcement by the NAIA Council of Presidents:

NAIA to Combine Basketball Divisions - NAIA - National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics

Well here you have it. Lol.

In a nutshell what are the differences and/or the advantages/disadvantages between NCAA and NAIA, in everyone's opinion?

In a nutshell what are the differences and/or the advantages/disadvantages between NCAA and NAIA, in everyone's opinion?

NAIA is basically a more athletic version of D2. The academic requirements aren’t as high, so you can get some borderline kids in.

NAIA is basically a more athletic version of D2. The academic requirements aren’t as high, so you can get some borderline kids in.

More athletic?

There are many Division I players in the NAIA basketball. I'm talking some studs.

Players who could play anywhere.

D1 programs will be brought down to 8 scholarships max. D2 programs will be allowed 8 scholarships max.

The problem is that many current D2 teams (such as say, Alice Lloyd, Asbury, Brescia) can't fund 8 scholarships so they are still going to have trouble competing against powerhouses like Pikeville, Georgetown College, etc.

More athletic?

Yes. You take the best players from your 10 best D2 schools, and I’ll take the best players from Georgetown, Campbellsville, Lindsey Wilson, Indiana Southeast, Cumberlands, UPike, Indiana Wesleyan, Union, Indiana East, Asbury. The NAIA schools I’ve listed probably have 15-20 guys that will play pro basketball overseas on them.

There are many Division I players in the NAIA basketball. I'm talking some studs.

 

Players who could play anywhere.

Lots of guys who wash out (for various reasons) at D1 schools find their way to NAIA. As you said, those kids are studs - albeit sometimes with baggage.

Yes. You take the best players from your 10 best D2 schools, and I’ll take the best players from Georgetown, Campbellsville, Lindsey Wilson, Indiana Southeast, Cumberlands, UPike, Indiana Wesleyan, Union, Indiana East, Asbury. The NAIA schools I’ve listed probably have 15-20 guys that will play pro basketball overseas on them.

Like your post, but you didn't mention any of the 4 teams that went to the final four in D1. All of which have players and have had players going pro over seas. Graceland, William Penn, LSU Shreveport, and LSU Alexandria. These teams are the real deal!

When nku was in d2 I don't believe they could have competed against the top NAIA teams in basketball, and would have struggled in the first years in D1.

Like your post, but you didn't mention any of the 4 teams that went to the final four in D1. All of which have players and have had players going pro over seas. Graceland, William Penn, LSU Shreveport, and LSU Alexandria. These teams are the real deal!

Wasn’t slighting any team. As you know, the knowledge in some of these forums is heavily geographical. The teams I listed are all familiar with the area that reads this board. Thought it would hammer the point home a little better than listing teams people would have to research.

I will agree the best NAIA schools can compete with and perhaps are even better than the top D2 schools. However, I don't think NAIA as a whole is as deep as D2 from top to bottom. NAIA does have some recruiting advantages though, and can pull some kids that won't be able to play right away in an NCAA program. But there are very few NAIA or D2 guys playing in the NBA...by large, if you're not playing D1, the NBA is a pipe dream, and I don't think those top guys in those divisions could necessarily play anywhere.

I will agree the best NAIA schools can compete with and perhaps are even better than the top D2 schools. However, I don't think NAIA as a whole is as deep as D2 from top to bottom. NAIA does have some recruiting advantages though, and can pull some kids that won't be able to play right away in an NCAA program. But there are very few NAIA or D2 guys playing in the NBA...by large, if you're not playing D1, the NBA is a pipe dream, and I don't think those top guys in those divisions could necessarily play anywhere.

I will agree with you that if your not in D1 NCAA the chances of going to the NBA are next to none. But look at the percentage of D1 players that don't go to the NBA. Take the top guys out of NCAA D1, and the best NAIA teams would be right there. Just my opinion. I honestly believe the lowest ranked NCAA D1 teams would struggle or even lose to the top NAIA teams

There are many Division I players in the NAIA basketball. I'm talking some studs.

 

Players who could play anywhere.

If they could play anywhere, why don’t they?