Kei Madison Must Wait 5 More Weeks

It's going to be another five weeks before Kei Madison knows whether he can play basketball in the SEC. Though rumors have surfaced that Kei Madison might not be able to attend Mississippi State due to an SEC rule regarding junior college transfers, Okaloosa-Walton assistant coach Isaac Brown told JUCO Junction/Rivalshoops.com on Monday that Madison would go there if he got a positive ruling.

If Madison is eligible to sign with Mississippi State, he would go there, according to Brown. So Mississippi State is awaiting a ruling. If Madison can not go to Mississippi State, he would re-open his recruiting process. But first Mississippi State has to be denied the chance to sign Madison.

Madison, the well-traveled 6-9, 230 pound combination forward from Okaloosa-Walton, had committed to Mississippi State about a month ago. But very soon after Madison committed to the Bulldogs, questions arose about the validity of him signing with another SEC school this fall.

While at Iowa Western C.C. last fall, Madison had inked with Alabama. But he left Iowa Western after running into some off the court matters at the junior college, and then intended to transfer and finish out at Southern Union State College in Wadley, Ala. There, he would be reunited with his younger brother, Bobby.

However, Madison never completed the spring semester at Southern Union, and opted to transfer to Okaloosa-Walton last May. He spent the summer semester at O-W, and will finish out his junior college playing days and education this fall and spring at the Florida junior college.

At the heart of the issue is an SEC rule stating that a player must spend at least three semesters in junior college. The interpretation of the rule will be key. If the rule is interpreted as spending three consecutive semesters at your last (most recently attended) junior college, then Madison would likely not be eligible to sign with Mississippi State or any other SEC program.