The NBA league offices reminded all of its clubs on Friday that no one is allowed to talk to any college basketball and said extensive fines would be put in place if anyone did such a thing.
In a memo by a member of the NBA's general counsel, the league announced three clubs were already fined for talking about prospective players such as Greg Oden and Kevin Durant who might leave college for the NBA after their freshman seasons.
The Charlotte Bobcats and the Golden State Warriors were fined $15,000 each because of public comments Michael Jordan and the Don Nelson made recently.
The Boston Celtics were the other team that was fined but their infraction was much worse. The club was fined $30,000 because the team's executive director Danny Ainge talked to Durant's family at a Big 12 tournament game last weekend.
While Ainge said only pleasantries were talked about during the exchange, the NBA said that did not matter.
Rich Buchanan, the lawyer who wrote the memo, explained the matter this way.
"The prohibition against indirect contact (with players who still have college eligibility) includes, among other things, communications with a player's family members, representatives, or friends, and extends to any public comments made by team personnel regarding a player."