DRC Article on Hopkins

UNTLifer · February 10, 2003

Tim MacMahon: NCAA should give Hopkins a good break

02/10/2003

Tim MacMahon

Leonard Hopkins, the North Texas shooting guard sidelined for the season by a broken foot, knows all too well that life isn’t fair.

He learned as much during his high school days, spending his final two-plus seasons at Dallas Lincoln as a frustrated spectator while undergoing surgery after surgery to treat a stress fracture and ensuing complications in his lower leg. Once considered one of the state’s top prospects, he became an afterthought on the local basketball scene while he battled to make it back to the court.

Hopkins, after redshirting a season to chip away the rust, had shown signs of being the Mean Green’s next star before his ascent was delayed by another bad break, pardon the pun. He was dribbling up the court late in a loss at Colorado when he felt a sudden, sharp pain — the snapping of the fifth metatarsal in his left foot.

After nine games, his season was over. The lesson about life’s fairness, unfortunately, was re-affirmed.

Coach Johnny Jones and Hopkins have filled out all the forms necessary to request another medical redshirt season. They did so knowing that the answer would probably be no, because Hopkins played in too large a percentage of UNT’s games this season.

"They’re doing their job," Hopkins said diplomatically of the NCAA, "but I know they know my case and my situation. They could take that into consideration. I feel like I’ve missed enough basketball."

Jones isn’t so sure the NCAA is aware of the saga Hopkins survived just to play basketball again. The coach is afraid that Hopkins’ case is just another in a pile of paperwork.

That’s why Jones wishes there was an appeals process if the request for a medical redshirt is denied. He wants the decision-makers to consider Hopkins’ past before his playing time is further limited.

"They’ve got the rules, and I’m sure we’re not the only ones in this situation," Jones said. "But it’s tough on the kids when they can’t play because of something they have no control over. I think every case should be looked at differently, just like every other thing they do."

Jones suggests that the NCAA should be flexible with its rulings on redshirts. For instance, Hopkins could sit out the first nine games of his sixth season on campus.

One would hope that the NCAA considers making the experiences of student-athletes as positive as possible as one of the organization’s primary goals.

Denying Hopkins a medical redshirt season doesn’t benefit anyone. It only stands to harm the Mean Green and, most of all, Hopkins, who has already been hurt far too often.

While life might not be fair, the NCAA certainly should be.