There may not be any rules precluding the participation of dogs in basketball, but should there have to be? You wanted to play basketball professionally your whole life, and now, at the most important game of your high school career with college recruiters aplenty, you got benched so that some mangy mutt could play? Seriously? You could lose out on a chance at a scholarship, and for what?
That dog doesn't need a scholarship. That dog doesn't even need a job. He will be fed 3 square meals a day, kept happy and healthy, and loved deeply for the rest of his life no matter what he does. He is taking up space that a human being could be occupying, and that is not okay especially in this economy.
Wait.
Has the economy really gotten so bad that even the family dog needs to contribute just to get by? You hadn't even considered it before, but maybe, this dog needs a scholarship more than you? This dog can't be an accountant or a teacher. In fact, he can't be much at all except a dog, but he can play basketball . . . somehow. It would be wrong to want to take that away from him. Wouldn't it? Basketball is all he has. At least, you have a plan B.