Current NCAA legislation requires participants on all nonscholastic basketball teams to reside either within the same state as the team or within a geographically adjoining state, with not more than three prospects from adjoining states participating on any one team.  This standard was established to deter nonscholastic teams from "renting" elite prospects from around the country for brief periods of time to compete in NCAA-certified basketball events. 

The legislation, as applied, requires the legal residence of the prospect's parent(s) or legal guardian to be located within the same state or an adjoining state of the official mailing address of the nonscholastic team.  [Note:  A legal guardianship must be established in a court of law.]  The Basketball Issues Committee has indicated to the NCAA Division I Management Council Administrative Review Subcommittee that relief from the strict application of the legislation should be granted only in situations in which no permissible team exists that will allow a prospect the opportunity to participate in any NCAA-certified event.

As a condition of the certification requirement, event operators are required to verify prior to competition that all teams are made up of prospective student-athletes from the same states as the team's official address; or an adjoining state, provided that no more than three team member(s) reside in adjoining states.  Participation of a team in violation of this legislation will result in the denial of future certification.  Note:  Allowing the team to participate in the event and forfeit games will not suffice; violating teams should be withheld from competition. 

• A prospect who is not an international prospect or a student at a boarding/preparatory school should be required to establish and maintain a legal residence for a minimum of three months prior to participating in an NCAA-certified event.
• Although the states of Alaska and Hawaii are not geographically adjoined by any other state, no states should be "designated" as adjoining states for Alaska and Hawaii and athletes from those states are required to play on a team from that state unless an NCAA member institution or conference files and is granted a (Sub)Committee for Legislative Relief Waiver on behalf of that athlete. 

International Athletes: 
International athletes must play on a team from their own country and the adjoining-state rule would apply provincially within that country.  Athletes cannot participate on a team outside their country's borders.  Therefore, athletes from Mexico or Canada cannot cross the border and play with a U.S. team for participation at an NCAA-certified summer event even though the team may be geographically located within the same locale of their residence.   

• An international prospect may use the legal address of the prospect’s host family, provided the prospect is part of an official educational exchange program and has resided with the family for a minimum of one academic year.
• An international prospect who is not part of an official educational exchange program may use the host family’s address if the prospect attended high school in the locale for a minimum of one academic year.
• Prospects from Canada and Mexico must comply with the same guidelines as other international prospects. 

Boarding/Preparatory School Prospects:
A prospect who has attended a boarding/preparatory school for a minimum of one academic year may use the address of the educational institution or the prospect’s legal residence.  The address being utilized to fulfill this requirement is the one that should be entered in the BBCS.  

Two-Year College Prospects:
A prospect who has attended a two-year college for a minimum of one academic year may use the address of the educational institution or the prospect’s legal residence.  The address being utilized to fulfill this requirement is the one that should be entered in the Basketball Certification System (BBCS).

Change of Guardianship:
It is not permissible for a coach, family member or other individual to obtain guardianship of an athlete in order for the athlete to participate on a team in a different state in an effort to circumvent the intent of the adjoining state rule.  Again, a prospect is required to establish and maintain a legal residence for a minimum of three months prior to participating on a team in that location in an NCAA-certified event. 

Exceptions to the Rule:

• In situations in which a team includes prospects from a metropolitan area located on a state border, the team may include more than three team members from adjoining states as long as each additional participant resides within the metropolitan area.  See:  Application of the Metro Area Rule for additional information and maps utilized by the NCAA to determine compliance.
• It has been determined that because the intent of the adjoining-state legislation would not be violated, and that based on the restrictions imposed by the tribal membership itself, it is permissible to view a Native American tribe in its entirety as analogous to a state, regardless of the fact that its geographic location may encompass several states.  Therefore, Native American athletes can participate on their tribal team regardless of their state of residence. 

Strict Enforcement:

The adjoining-state rule is strictly enforced.  Any event that allows the participation of a team that violates the adjoining-state rule will be ineligible for certification the following year.  Additionally, any team that provides false and/or misleading information in the BBCS, to the NCAA or to any certified event operators in order to satisfy any of the NCAA's demographic, residency (adjoining state), coaches approval or other legislated requirements will result in the withdrawal of the coaches' approvals for all coaches associated with that team, which will prohibit those coaches from participating in any coaching activity at any NCAA-certified event for a period of up to five years.