The idea that you have to go to college before playing in the NBA is ridiculous.

[CAARHawk]

Yes, it makes sense for the NBA. What doesn't make sense is why the NCAA just bends over and takes it.

Let's just hope one of these teams that is dominated by a freshman phenom one and done player never wins a championship. So far, so good. No to Oden, no to Durrant, no to Mayo, no to Rose, no to Wall, no to Javier.

 

[woodyk1]

Yes, it makes sense for the NBA. What doesn't make sense is why the NCAA just bends over and takes it.

Let's just hope one of these teams that is dominated by a freshman phenom one and done player never wins a championship. So far, so good. No to Oden, no to Durrant, no to Mayo, no to Rose, no to Wall, no to Javier.

Yes to Carmelo Anthony. I don't like the rule, but it has already happened.

 

[TritonHawkeye]

yea the baseball rule isn't bad. But if your going to require to go to college first, whats the point of making it just one year? You gotta make it at least two.

I agree with this 100% and would take it out a step further and say three seasons. If that isn't though route the kid wants to take, go play overseas.

 

[CAARHawk]

Yes to Carmelo Anthony. I don't like the rule, but it has already happened.

Oh yeah, forgot about that. He and Gerry Mac were both freshmen.

However, the rule was put in place in 2006, so Melo is not really a result of the rule.

The Ray of light might be that the current contract ends after next season. The NCAA should threaten moves to force the NBA to change their policy.

I think the NBA should raise the minimum age to 21 or three years out of HS for the regular league and open up the developmental league to 18 and over, with anyone under 21 being subjected to special player development programs.

 

[kgoblee]

If you can play, you should be able to play. It's probably the most idiotic thing ever to have to go to college before the NBA. You're allowed to have a different opinion, but if you do you're a m-o-r-o-n.

People who think other people are morons because they don't agree with them are the biggest morons.

 

[PatrickAdamovicz]

From a product standpoint, the NBA is doing the right thing. Many of these high schoolers are not ready to play at that level. Do they have great talent? Yes. But do they really know how to play the game? NO!!! The NBA product really went in the crapper for awhile when they just let all the high schoolers in. None of them outside of Kobe, Lebron and KG really knew how to play the game and at times made the games unwatchable. It's only when these players matured after a few years that they became watchable.

Also, from just a responsibility standpoint, I think it's best they go to school. I think they can learn a thing or two and mature. It's absolutely in the NBA's right to require you be 1 year removed from high school. It's their product and it's in their best interest to make sure the players are actually ready for the big time. They noticed that the product suffered by letting kids with "potential" come into the league.

 

[lightning1]

Yeah, the NBA screwed up. They should require every draft entry to have an associates degree, at least. That would show these NBA teams that these players are serious enough about putting in the effort. That would solve a lot of problems. Kids would have 2 yrs in college or more and it wouldnt be an age discrimination issue.
Nobody here could walk into an accounting position on Wallstreet, straight out of HS.
Most career oriented jobs require a degree. The NBA should too.

 

[GravyJones]

It's probably the most idiotic thing ever to have to go to college before the NBA.

If I were tasked with listing the 1000 most idiotic things ever, this wouldn't even get consideration.

 

[HawkI101]

Going to the NBA out of HS is fine with me but I wish more would go to college and get the education they need. There was post over the past couple of days about a large portion of NBA players being broke 5 years after playing. Now, education won't always keep guys from going broke but more education = better chance of taking care of your money and responsibilities so your not a deadbeat when your playing days are over.

 

[GhostofBTT]

I don't get the argument that this rule is killing college basketball.

I also don't get why people assume the NBA should be looking out for the NCAA's best interests. They don't and they shouldn't. The NBA is just utilizing their free, minor league system to hype up the next generation of players.

 

[Chimaera521]

Oh yeah, forgot about that. He and Gerry Mac were both freshmen.

However, the rule was put in place in 2006, so Melo is not really a result of the rule.

The Ray of light might be that the current contract ends after next season. The NCAA should threaten moves to force the NBA to change their policy.

I think the NBA should raise the minimum age to 21 or three years out of HS for the regular league and open up the developmental league to 18 and over, with anyone under 21 being subjected to special player development programs.

What can the NCAA do about it? They have absolutely zero say in how the NBA runs itself.

 

[tm3308]

Not true. Going overseas will allow a player to
1. Earn a pretty good salary while playing solid competition (Leagues are often made up of up and coming European stud basketball players or solid former US college players who couldn't make the NBA)
2. Focus solely on basketball while having unlimited hours to practice with a team (NCAA restricts this - see Michigan in football)
3. Gain experience as a professional basketball player before joining the NBA

The NCAA on the other hand restricts how many hours that you can practice with your team and coaching staff, full-ride scholarship but no income otherwise, competition on some nights can be less than stellar, and you really don't gain much of an idea of what life as an NBA player will be like.

Yet how many guys from overseas are drafted every year? Maybe two in the first round? Some of these guys may be stupid, but that math is pretty simple. College=better chance to make millions in the NBA. I know I would take 28-2 odds.

 

[GhostofBTT]

Yet how many guys from overseas are drafted every year? Maybe two in the first round? Some of these guys may be stupid, but that math is pretty simple. College=better chance to make millions in the NBA. I know I would take 28-2 odds.

Plenty more than 2 foreigners are picked in the first round.

In 2009, 6 players were drafted straight from European or Israeli club teams. One of them was Brandon Jennings, the American who skipped college and played in the Italian league.

In 2008, 4 players were drafted from Euro teams.
2007 and 2006 had 5 drafted from Europe.

Also, take note that in every year, at least one Euopean club player has been drafted in the top 10.


There is one truism that applies to NBA scouting, and it is paradoxical at that. The more a team knows about you and your game, the less likely they are to draft you. If scouts can see everything you can do, then they become less interested, because NBA picks are usually future gambles. Most players are drafted on potential.