March Madness is underway and some of the top programs in the tourney are anchored by "one-and-done" stars. Top high school prospects heading to college for just one year before making the leap to the pros is nothing new, but it's more prevalent than ever since the NBA enacted new eligibility rules in the 2005 collective bargaining agreement. You can no longer jump from high school to the pros, as we all did in our childhood daydreams ("Take a hike, Rick Pitino. I'm gettin' paid"). Instead, a player must be 19-years-old at the time of the draft and be one year removed from his high school graduation.
The league reasons that players need to be viewed against quality competition before being properly evaluated for the quantum leap to the NBA. It's a fair point, regardless of which side of the argument you find yourself on. You can rattle off the success stories, from Kevin Garnett to Kobe Bryant to Tracy McGrady to LeBron James, but not everyone can make a seamless transition to the league without getting a healthy dose of reality at the college level. Some also argue that the rule keeps the talent level of the NCAA higher, but that doesn't necessarily concern the league and it's not always a sure fire way to keep the college ranks filled with superstar talent (see: the 2013 draft class).
Some would argue that the draft limit needlessly keeps players who are NBA-ready out of the league for an extra year, only for them to make them go through the charade of upholding the first half of the student-athlete title. It also seems unfair to some that an 18-year-old would be denied the ability to earn a living in the highest ranks of professional basketball.
Meanwhile, there are some who are past David Stern's place on the spectrum who would even like to see the NBA bar players from entering the draft until they are 20 or 21. It would be a dramatic turn from what we're accustomed but there's no denying that those draft crops would have players who are better prepared to contribute to teams in year one.
In the real world, the future of the NBA draft is a matter that will be handled by the owners, Commissioner Stern, his heir apparent Adam Silver, and the player's union. But we want to know where you stand on it.
Honestly they should just adopt Baseball’s method except with a tweak. A player can go to the pro’s from high school, but if they choose to go to school they have to stay until there third year. Only difference is if they declare they can’t go back after a certain day (like it is right now)
I also like the baseball model, but I’d want the NCAA to allow players who enter the draft out of highschool and aren’t drafted to go to college. That way kids who misread their stock don’t throw away their future.