Draft to be limited to players 20+?

B

bierce

1,000+ Posts
Aweird report about Miles Brand and David Stern making some kind of press announcement today, with speculation that it will be about a plan in the works to raise the minimum draft age to 20.
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I would be glad for such a rule, but what does the NCAA have to do with NBA draft rules? Uh, nothing at alll? Also, isn't the current agreement with the players association in effect through the 2010-11 season?
 
I think the NCAA is involved to help the NBA push it through. The NCAA is obviously in favor in the rule, and even if they don't have any say in whether it comes to pass, it helps the NBA say they are trying to do what is best for the student-athlete if they have the NCAA on board.
 
I could see them doing more than talking and changing the rule as soon as they can. I think I read that the players union is currently opposed to such a rule, but I would imagine they would eventually support the rule change.
 
The NBA and NCAA are heading down a slippers slope here. KD, Conley, Thaddeus Young, all are contributing members of their teams after entering the draft as one and done players. If these guys are old enough to vote and are considered adults by the United States, why should they be prohibited from seeking employment they are able to perform. Furthermore, what is so magical about the age of 20. While not everyone that leaves after their freshman year will stick in the NBA, plenty of upperclassman dont stick either (PJ Tucker as one example). Forcing another year of college education (and I use that term with a great deal of reservation) on a kid that would rather be playing pro ball does nothing other than further serve the interests of the schools that recruited them.

I guess the NBA wants to shore up college hoops because they would rather not have to establish a full blown minor league system like MLB. So by working with the NCAA on raising the draft age, they feel they are protecting their own interests. But something tells me that the courts will not side with the NBA/NCAA if the legality of this rule is challenged . And with guys like Lebron, KD, Rose, Beasley coming through the high school/AAU basketball factories ready to play in the league, it will eventually be challenged. Guys that are capable of playing in the NBA are not coming to Div I basketball schools to get an education. They know that if they don't stick in the NBA they can always play in Europe and elsewhere and make more money in the process than they would ever earn with the mickey mouse degrees that they are pursuing in college.
 
The NBA will defend the rule on the basis of the collective bargaining agreement, but there is definitely a legal issue.
 
I still think the best compromise would be to use the same rule as college baseball. Either you go pro out of high school, or you wait until your junior year.
 
What I think they should do is raise the age but take out rookie scaled contracts.

that would be a win-win for everyone. players make more money when they enter the league, owners get to see a player on the court more before they are forced to invest in their potential.
 
As a Longhorn fan, I should be happy about this because Rick Barnes is a fabulous recruiter. If this rule applied earlier, KD would be on this team.

This rule in general favors the schools with the best coaches that can recruit. If you can get the players that would've been 1 and done, instead you'd be a really good team the next year.

But I'm still not a fan of this. College is not for everyone. Why force these kids to go to school if their life-long dream is to play in the NBA? One year was fine, but two is getting ridiculous. Why should a Beasley/Rose have to play 2 years in college? They are clearly ready for the next level.

If I'm a high school basketball player that wants to go to the NBA with no desire to go to college, I'm going straight to Europe (or the NBDL if that's even possible), where the quality of basketball is so much better than college anyway. It would be better for my future, and it would put less pressure on me, as I'd always be under the radar.
 
I'm still waiting for the first guy to turn pro out of high school, sign an endorsement deal or two, and then play in Italy or Spain for a year. It would be a great way to make some money early, experience a different culture, and refine some fundamental basketball skills.
 
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