The decision by the NCAA to deny the appeal for West Virginia transfer guard RaeQuan Battle has created some difficult circumstances.
That includes outside forces such as agents looking to take advantage of the situation and force the junior into a difficult choice to stay in school or continue playing the game he loves.
Battle, who recently documented his struggles with mental health and growing up on the Tulalip Tribe reservation in a letter and video, was denied an immediate eligibility waiver and later the appeal.
That has put a strain on Battle by taking away one of the stabilizing factors in his life.
“The fear of him losing basketball is crushing. It’s crushing. So much of his hope and positivity is built around the game and it almost seems like he’s being forced to choose between education and the game of basketball,” head coach Josh Eilert said.
Eilert further elaborated that there are people reaching out to Battle and trying to get him to go in a different direction and leave behind his educational opportunities to continue playing basketball. And while education is clearly important to Battle, it has created a difficult situation for the transfer guard.
Especially with the amount of people in the game of basketball that want to profit off players when they have the ability to make money playing the game.
“I don’t think it’s a secret he’s a really good basketball player. Yes, I’ve had conversations with his mother and himself. People that want to profit off him, agents in particular that continue to hit him up and try to pull him away so he can play the game of basketball,” Eilert said.
And while Eilert understands that Battle has a good head on his shoulders and is in a good space within the West Virginia program, the fact he isn’t playing the game he loves is certainly having an impact. And Battle is holding onto the hope that he will be able to play basketball and get his education together.
“He thrives on hope and optimism right now and he’s holding as much hope as possible that the NCAA will make a decision on him and allow him to play,” Eilert said.
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