Education

Former NBA player Tamar Slay says some parents are hitting the rewind button on seventh grade ... all to give their kids a bigger edge in sports and potentially make more money in college.

Slay -- who now runs the Slay Basketball Academy in Charlotte, NC -- joined "TMZ Live" Monday and told us reclassifying has become a serious move for families chasing college offers, NIL money and, eventually, the pros.

Harvey pushed back on the trend ... arguing it can make school feel like an afterthought if a kid is repeating seventh grade mainly for basketball or football.