A selfish Combs would turn down UCLA scholarship

UCLA is getting some negative press for awarding a scholarship to Justin Combs. Justin is the son of very wealthy rapper Sean Combs (née P. Diddy, née Puff Daddy).

By most accounts, Combs is worthy of the scholarship. His Scout and Rivals ratings, while modest, aren't abnormal among UCLA recruits. Plus he brings intangibles, such as attention to a program desperate for relevance in the shadow of USC.

The scholarship offer is a nice, validating gesture on the part of the Bruins. But the selfish (and best) thing for Combs to do is not take the money.

The NCAA limits scholarship athletes on a roster. If Combs wants UCLA to do better, he should give up his scholarship so it can be assigned to someone else (perhaps he could have a hand-shake agreement that it won't be another cornerback). The better the team does, the better it is for Combs, and that one extra scholarship might make the difference. We've seen this before with NFL players, who also face an artificial labor restriction in the form of a salary cap.

There's no denying the intelligence and savvy of Combs' father. Don't be surprised if Justin doesn't take that scholarship after all.