The one-and-done rule may soon come to an end, as NBA commissioner Adam Silver believes it’s time to consider allowing recent high-school graduates to enter the league.
“I’m not here to say we have a problem,” Silver said via NBA.com. “And I love where the league is right now. But I think we can create a better system.”
The new system should be in place by the 2021 draft, though there was no official timeline set.
“My personal view is that we’re ready to make that change,” Silver said. “It won’t come immediately. But when I’ve weighed the pros and cons, given that Condoleezza Rice and her commission have recommended to the NBA that those one-and-done players now come directly into the league and in essence the college community is saying `We do not want those players anymore,’ I think that tips the scale in my mind.”
Changes to the age-limit rule would require an amendment to the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. NBPA executive director Michele Roberts said she expects there will be some news in the coming weeks, adding “Stay tuned.”
Cool
Terrible idea! The biggest myth in pro sports is that high schoolers can play in the league. 150 high schoolers have declared, 67 have been drafted, 23 played 10+ years, 13 have made and all star team. Even the ones that have panned out still sit on the bench for 2 years (exceptions, LeBron, Amar’e Stoudamire, Garnett) it is far more the exception then the norm.
So roughly 9% of all declared HSers have made all-star teams and 1/5 drafted players who’ve made All-Star appearances. Tell me again how this is bad? What are the stats for Freshman? Sophomores? Until you can provide evidence that shows those stats are worse than other underclassmen, your stats mean literally nothing.
They mean something to the over 50% that went undrafted and had to make a living without a college education.
You can go to school anytime on your life.
You don’t need a college education to succeed.
You can earn a living from basketball and not play for the NBA.
NOT having a college education works against you as well. Sure, you can make a living. Some might even excel. But HAVING one can help you succeed more. And if you’re hopeful of a NBA career and looking to skip college you more than likely weren’t an excellent HS student either as we see so often non-athletic students get passed thru the system but don’t have basic reading, writing and math skills that you would be shocked are absent coming out of a 4 years of a high school education.
But these are all issues we discuss because we accept the fact that at 18 some of these kids need to be saved from themselves.
One advantage to the one and done is that the athletes have to meet a minimum GPA/test scores just to ENTER college albeit for 1 year. Without that motivation of needing to meet certain academic requirements then what’s going to be the motivation for a HS athlete to pay attention to his high school grades at all, especially since we see HS pass kids thru just to meet quota and get them out the system. There are going to be a whole lot of dumb kids entering the NBA.
or rather attempting.
You forgot Kobe.
Kobe didn’t play a lot immediately
If they do that then the high school players drafted should have to play a season in the g league.
They would get paid there draft slot value. Not g league money.
Yes they would go to the g league then if they are doing good the team can bring the up to the league
More dumbing down of America. Why not, add it to the pile.
Like one fake year of college is going to accomplish anything
This!!!
Yes it does matter. You have to a minimum amount of academic requirements to be college eligible. If that is no longer an issue then from a high school system that already does a poor job preparing kids for the next stage of like then you’re going to have an intellectually inferior crop of kids coming into the NBA because from day 1 they know they just need to get by in high school because college is no longer the passage way to an NBA career.
What’s the big deal about 1 year of college?
And for those tempted to say “well the MLB allows kids to be drafted out of HS” it’s different. A kid can be enter the draft, see where he was drafted (what round) and decide to accept a scholarship to whatever school they may have an offer to attend. They also have a minor league system that will allow them to hone their skills and mature mentally and physically before being called up to a “sink or swim” major league system.
Some kids might not make it in the NBA and CAN make a living overseas but many tend to fall out and slip thru the cracks.
I am looking at the big picture, not the impact on the individual.
The NBA only has to worry about league success. Everything else is optional.
Well if that noted sports expert Condoleezza Rice thinks it’s a good idea, who am I to say otherwise?
That was very funny!
Eric you Gotta think if roughly 9% of HS players make all star teams. Then the college players are clearly benefiting from college ball. #Math
Personally, I think this will help the “G-league” the most. Keeping highly touted young projects stateside.
That’s a very good idea, about time, if you are ready you are if not, not. Free country, no one should decide for this kids but themselves & the teams if they are interested in them. I think those stats are amazingly favorably to HS players, as every year, there are probably what, 1,5oo guys or more to come out of college so probably only 0.2% make it to the all-star, so that 9% sounds otherworldly.
You’re comparing every player coming out of college vs the best of the best high school though
The NBA forver looking for the next Michael Jordan! SMH
Dwayne Wade stayed in school for how long and he turned out okay!!!
PS What if you are not Michael Jordan?
Also what if you are Jahlil Okafor
NBA = Clown Show
Overpaid, prima-donnas that play on top heavy teams!
Double SMH
I don’t understand your use of MJ. He went to UNC for 3 years. Okajor went to Duke for 1 year. Maybe if you used LBJ or Kobe (players drafted out of HS who went on to be future HOF) as examples of what the NBA are looking for by allowing HS into the draft (which wouldn’t really matter to the NBA since those players can simply enter the draft after 1 season) and the used Kwame Brown. Darius Miles or Sebastian Telfair as the example of failure then that would make more sense.
And this is part of the reason that the 76ers draft day acquisition of the heat’s unprotected 2021 1st rounder is worth wayyyy more than a normal first rounder. It will have 2 classes worth of top players (the 2021 HS players and 2020 one and done players). That pick ought to be treated as a top 10 pick now for sure even if the heat end up in the 15s range.
I have no problem with this. If a team wants to take a chance on a high schooler it’s their prerogative. Scouting will be more important than ever now. It’s not like baseball where you have dozens of rounds. If you do a Kwame Brown pick, then you have potentially put your franchise back a few years.
It won’t hurt the kids too 3. If they can’t make it in the NBA, there are many opportunities overseas. Maybe I will be able to name more than a dozen college players now because they will be staying in school longer. Also, maybe we will get some actual athletes that will use those scholarships for what they are meant for….. Education.
The NBA is in a unique position to possibly change the entire system. Silver has a responsibility to guard against a weak product by trying to insure that the kids entering the draft are skilled (as determined by the teams) but also are mature and ready for entering a professional league.
-Add 2 additional rounds to the draft.
Reason: Their might be many HS kids who entered the draft but may not be selected in the 2 rounds of drafting that exists. Having a 3rd and 4th round and the ability to send them to the G-league might give them the coaching and chance to mature realize their NBA dreams.
-HS players selected in the 1st and 2nd rounds and any international players (19 years or younger) come with 6 years of control. College draftees in the 1st and 2nd round and any international player 20+ have 4 years of control.
Reason: Some of these HS players simply need more time to mature and the team needs to protect itself if the player needs additional seasoning that they would normally get had they spent 2 years of college.
-Teams drafting HS players and international guys (19 or younger) have the option of sending their players to their G-League affiliate for more development. Players still earn whatever their slotted rookie contract dictates. Teams have the options to send them to their G-League affiliate for the first 2 years of control. They MUST add the player to their NBA roster by the start of their 3rd year or release the player to be a FA.
Reason: Helps maintain a level of talent in the NBA and is great for player developments. Also, brings more attention to the G-League that wouldn’t normally exist.
-After their 1st year in pro-basketball HS kids drafted in rounds 3 and 4 have the option of returning to college if they determine that they don’t see a future for themselves in the NBA or if cut by their team. If the NCAA will allow them to attend college (separate issue), they can register for re-entry into the draft at the end of their sophomore season. The team that originally drafted them has right of first refusal. If they accept the player back, then he has to immediately be added to an NBA roster (as opposed to sending them to the G-League). If the team declines adding the player to its roster, then the player will enter the general draft again and can be drafted by any team other than the one that originally drafted them.
Reason: Provides a safety net for HS kids that weren’t good enough for the NBA at that time AND for those who may have received bad advice by perspective agents who told them they were good enough to be drafted. They can go back and get their education if they feel the NBA isn’t a fit.
Undrafted rookies straight up negotiate about contract details as ufa with teams would be a lot simpler.
I agree with parts of this article. I don’t agree with the systematic ncaa in general tho. I feel like a kid should b able to declare for the NFL and NBA drafts and if not drafted or not signed they can go back to school. How does the MLB get away with doing it that way? U can’t tell me these agents aren’t present in the baseball kids ears that get drafted out of hs but elect to attend college. Y can’t the NFL and NBA both use this similar system?
I have no problems with high school kids going straight to the NBA. But my thoughts are that in order to save declining college basketball ratings a new rule is instituted. You can A: go straight to NBA or B: go to college with the obligation to attend 3 years minimum or wait until your class has completed 3 years before you are eligible.
This helps both the students and the colleges, and still allows your Lebron or Kobe’s to flourish
Thoughts ?