The NBA’s “one-and-done” rule will likely remain intact for several years, even if changes are made in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports in a Twitter thread.
Lowering the current 19-and-over draft age is a significant part of NBA/NBPA CBA discussions — which have already begun in earnest — but there has been no progress regarding the elimination of the one-and-done rule, says Wojnarowski. Even if changes are made, it wouldn’t be instituted for several years due to commitments already made by teams to trade future draft picks under the current system.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (Twitter link), 0nly nine teams control all their future first rounders for the next seven years. Many of those traded picks are protected to varying degrees.
Another sticking point in current negotiations is the league’s desire that players provide medical information and physicals to all 30 teams. Many agents have withheld that information from certain teams in order to discourage them from drafting their player. Those particular league and NBPA conversations have yet to begin, Wojnarowski adds, and will be a part of the much larger CBA discussions.
The one-and-done rule was put into place in 2006.
Definitely understandable. I’m all for players getting their money. Then I hope they put some good rules in play to where just not anybody coming out of high school.
Its good for these players to go to college for a year. I couldn’t imagine being a millionare at 17/18 years old. Another year for these guys to mature
Of course there will always be exceptions, but for the most part I don’t see where an extra year will make a difference. Some will be ready to handle the money by 18, and many won’t; but how many will that change for in 1 year?
I believe if a player wants to turn pro out of high school, they should be allowed. They shouldn’t be forced to risk injury in college or overseas for little-to-no money.
But it ok for baseball players to come right out of high school and become a millionaire, but not basketball players?
Interesting.
@jump shot- How many baseball players get that kind of money right out of H.S. AND go directly to the big leagues?
@Mets – won’t the guys who might be able to go from H.S. to the NBA just get NIL money if they go to college, or sponsor deals if they go overseas?
@manny
It doesn’t matter how many. If ONE baseball can and gets millions, then basketball players should be able to, as well.
He said “how many”, as if that’s an argument.
The fact is that it’s available to them, no matter HOW MANY are actually able to.
I’m not arguing, I was legit asking a question. I honestly can’t think of any, as baseball has like 6 levels of minor leagues where players who are drafted, either out of H.S. or college, all seem to go to work their way up to the show.
So I’ll ask again slower, and worded slightly different. Can. You. Name. 1. Baseball. Player. Drafted. From. H. S. Who. Went. Right. To. The. Majors?
Yes! Bob Horner with the Atlanta Braves in the 1970’s. I believe he was even Rookie of the Year.
Two years ago, Garrett Crochet went straight from University of Tennessee to the Chicago White Sox. He pitched at a camp they had set up during the pandemic and then made his debut. 8 of first 9 pitches 100+ mph. Yeah. Strikeouts!
So it’s happened at least twice in the past 50 years. The point I’ve been trying to get across is that in baseball, players almost always spend time in the minor leagues to a) hone their craft and b) acclimate themselves to the professional game, lifestyle, travel, adulthood and so on. College, as we know it today (as you described it below) has some similarities. Travel, NIL opportunities, different lifestyle than what they were accustomed to in H.S.
I get jump shot’s point that the opportunity is there, but almost no one is actually jumping from H.S. to major league play without a stop or 2 somewhere.
Two different leagues with different rules….some of the baseball players get a million dollar signing bonus but no one is paid an annual salary in the millions…..there is a major push to raise wages and benefits for minor leaguers as most are making less than $60k per season
Lol….the nil is making some of them millionaires at 17 so that doesn’t really hold any water.
You do realize the top guys and top transfers in college are getting millions in Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) money right???
Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiewba led the country in rebounding last year. He was still only projected as maybe a 2nd round pick. Reports say he is gonna make about $2 million in NIL money playing for Kentucky this year.
The NCAA allowed NIL as a way to “pay” players. Notice how they were able to get players “paid”, but don’t have to actually “pay” themselves.
Transfer rules, like immediate eligibility, were changed as well. Combined with NIL $$$ it basically allows for full blown “Free Agency” in college athletics.
2024 Draft…. High School players will be eligible.
OADs have no interest in a college “education”. These athletes join their universities in early summer and depart nine months later for the draft. Within this time frame lie five months of basketball, including road games all over the country as well as weeks of travel to several tournaments.
To contend that a few months of worthless undergrad college help these “student” athletes to mature is ridiculous. Their curricular work is mostly done by special tutors, if they aren’t assigned to any phantom classes to begin with (Hello, UNC!).
The very limited range of classes these “students” are allowed to attend, in order to fit their basketball schedules, is useless and has often been created to serve exactly that purpose.
The raison d’être of these OADs consists in stirring up a short-term hype and make millions for their respective college programs, coaches and administrators.
Players like Aaron Gordon have made it clear that they would have never attended college without the OAD rule. UCLA’s Kyle Anderson once stated that the best thing about the NBA was the fact that he didn’t have to go to school.
Sounds like it’s just not a priority for either side right now, which is understandable given other things they’re working on and the lack of incentive to get something done on this front immediately. But I still think removing it is an inevitability.
Let these kids be draft eligible out of HS. If they are good enough to get drafted then why should they have to wait a year?