Should NBA re-think the drafting of HS kids?

[billoliver40]

Just a discussion topic:

couple of the radio announcers late last night were saying that the NCAA would rather see the NBA go back to drafting HS players rather than the
one and done kids.

Reasons are various: kids don't really get all the development they need in one year, teams don't form properly in the 'star oneanddone' set up,
coaches feel they are pressured to win by bringing in kids that will actually
end up costing them a few years down the road due to APR...and other
things.

Love him or hate him (and he was a lot easier to love when he was in the NBA) Rick Pitino once stated he didn't mind kids leaving after their sophomore seasons....he said that was kind of like a 'reverse JUCO' but
felt that players that only intended to stay one year would be better for
themselves (and the teams) by going ahead and trying the pros.

Kinda dead time in basketball...what are your opinions on this subject?

[Terry623]

I don't know the answer but I hate the current rule. I've heard Coach Knight express opinions suggesting a minimum stay of two years. Dick Vitale commented during the draft last night to allow the kids to go right out of high school. If they elected to go to college then they could not be drafted for 3-years, similar to college baseball. There are other places for kids, not cut out for school, to develop their skills such as the NBDL (I believe that's the name!) I really don't care what the NBA does as I'm not a big fan, but I don't like the kids coming to college with the plan of being one and done. Getting to know these kids over their college careers is half the fun of college athletics. :)

[Tom Blevins]

As I understand the rules in baseball, a player can be drafted (if he chooses to be, and if a pro team thinks he has the talent) comming out of high school. However, if he chooses to go to college, he is not elgible for the draft for four years. I'd like to see the same kind of rule in basketball.

[Ukosumu]

As I understand the rules in baseball, a player can be drafted (if he chooses to be, and if a pro team thinks he has the talent) comming out of high school. However, if he chooses to go to college, he is not elgible for the draft for four years. I'd like to see the same kind of rule in basketball.
I think three years not four.

[djleecatfan]

As I understand the rules in baseball, a player can be drafted (if he chooses to be, and if a pro team thinks he has the talent) comming out of high school. However, if he chooses to go to college, he is not elgible for the draft for four years. I'd like to see the same kind of rule in basketball.
Four would be great, but I think 3 years would be all the NCAA and the NBA would allow.

[BowlingGreenUKGrad]

I like the rule as it currently is. I think the drafting of high school players really hurt the NBA. We were getting players going high in the draft that were totally unproven (Kwame Brown) that had no place being so high. Now, they have to at least prove it for a year against good competition in college.

[jagcb750]

I think three would be good. Staying the fourth would be great, but might be a year that a truely great player would be wasting if they weren't developing anymore at the college level. Also think it would be really harsh if they were pretty peaked out as juniors and were forced to come back their senior year and were to get injured. That seems like a risk that some kids shouldn't be made to take. This is a tough one!

[Wildcat5369]

I don't know the answer but I hate the current rule. I've heard Coach Knight express opinions suggesting a minimum stay of two years. Dick Vitale commented during the draft last night to allow the kids to go right out of high school. If they elected to go to college then they could not be drafted for 3-years, similar to college baseball. There are other places for kids, not cut out for school, to develop their skills such as the NBDL (I believe that's the name!) I really don't care what the NBA does as I'm not a big fan, but I don't like the kids coming to college with the plan of being one and done. Getting to know these kids over their college careers is half the fun of college athletics. :)

I agree, I do not like the one and done mentality. I am sure USC and IU are reconsidering their recruitment of those players due to no incentive for the players to even go to class or take money from booster/agents. I believe it should be two years removed from HS. It gives players two avenues to pursue.

1) Go to college for two years and earn an associates degree while developing their game and maturity.

OR

2) For the financially or educationally challenged individuals, play in the NBDL or oversees for two years, earn a decent wage in the meantime, then allowed to be drafted or sign a free agent contract if they are not drafted (ala Hayes or Buke).

I hope for the sake of College Basketball, and to a lesser degree, for the NBA, they will extent the rule to two years.

[sevenyearhawk]

I wished they'd have a similar requirement to the NFL in terms of minimum years ...

I also wished that scholarship players would be made to pay back the balance of their scholarships to the University if they leave early.

Isn't a scholarship a contract? :shrug1:

[Wildcat5369]

I wished they'd have a similar requirement to the NFL in terms of minimum years ...

I also wished that scholarship players would be made to pay back the balance of their scholarships to the University if they leave early.

Isn't a scholarship a contract? :shrug1:

It is a great in theory, but I think that is illegal. Indentured servitude comes to mind. Also, you can't discriminate against a player lets say has to quit college after being on scholarship to take care of family, etc verses going to the NBA.

[billoliver40]

Just to throw my hat in the ring,

If the NBA is serious about the age, they should go up to 21.
Two years is not too much to expect from a college player. It seems many kids really grow into their own during the second half of their sophomore years.

Just IMHO, the one and done deal isn't much for developing a kid's skill
package. It's really almost like a minor league deal...player gets to move up in competition to see what he can do.

Do some have the ability to go early? Beasley, Durrant, probably Oden (but who'll ever know now?) Rose....probably. But do others need more time? Kevin Love is a yes...more time in college. Jordan from A&M...more time in college. Gordon? not sure. Under a stable coaching staff, kid
could've been the man after two to three years.

Overall...I'll have to agree with the radio folks...one and done is not much
for anyone. Put a two year college cap or take 'em out of high school.

[Terry L. Wildcat]

IMHO the NBA is a job and a kid coming out of high school should be able to pursue that career the same as others. Also, you can go straight from high school to the military and die for this country so you should be able to go straight to the NBA.

[cumberlandredskin]

I wished they'd have a similar requirement to the NFL in terms of minimum years ...

I also wished that scholarship players would be made to pay back the balance of their scholarships to the University if they leave early.

Isn't a scholarship a contract? :shrug1:

Scholarships are renewed on a year to year basis. It's not, per se, a four year contract. The NFL has it right. They will only draft if a kid has three years of college. The NBA needs to something similar or be like baseball. Draft HS but if in college wait until after junior season. Either way would be OK.

[Blue 24/7]

JMO but the NBA sucks and needs to be completely overhauled. This is just one area, but a VERY important one because it affects a REAL sport...college basketball.

[Wildcat5369]

IMHO the NBA is a job and a kid coming out of high school should be able to pursue that career the same as others. Also, you can go straight from high school to the military and die for this country so you should be able to go straight to the NBA.

True, however, all jobs have minimum requirements, some are skill requirements and some are social requirements. Obviously many have the skill to play in the NBA; most do not have the social skills to live in that world. Too many stressors, temptations, and unsavory characters that are there just to take advantage of others for a HS age kid to deal with unless they have a strong support structure. Where in the NFL, it is more skill based to be removed form HS for three years, the NBA is more social based and should be a minimum of two years. Also, nothing is stopping a player from playing oversees or in the NBDL for money as a stopgap, similar to an internship at a corporation to evaluate the individuals skill set.

[Adolph Rollingover]

IMHO the NBA is a job and a kid coming out of high school should be able to pursue that career the same as others. Also, you can go straight from high school to the military and die for this country so you should be able to go straight to the NBA.

I am selfish and would love to see the same rule as in baseball, but I agree with TLW, you should be able to join the NBA at 18 if all parties agree. If the NBA wants to hire an 18 year old, and the 18 year old wants to commit, so be it.

[sevenyearhawk]

I just see all of this drafting affecting BOTH levels of hoops.

Players don't develop in college ... and programs are more difficult to maintain.

You get players in the NBA that are not "mature" from a playing and skills standpoint, no to mention their personalities, and a product that is not as good as the past, when you had players coming in after their junior or even senior seasons.

I really only follow former Jayhawks in the NBA, I don't have to much interest otherwise ...

[poodoo]

I don't know the answer but I hate the current rule. I've heard Coach Knight express opinions suggesting a minimum stay of two years. Dick Vitale commented during the draft last night to allow the kids to go right out of high school. If they elected to go to college then they could not be drafted for 3-years, similar to college baseball. There are other places for kids, not cut out for school, to develop their skills such as the NBDL (I believe that's the name!) I really don't care what the NBA does as I'm not a big fan, but I don't like the kids coming to college with the plan of being one and done. Getting to know these kids over their college careers is half the fun of college athletics. :)

I, too, would like for the rule for college basketball to be made similar to college baseball, as Vitale suggested. That seems right for the young person, who gets to make a choice out of high school, AND for the institution of learning and its college basketball program.

[Terry L. Wildcat]

I really only follow former Jayhawks in the NBA, I don't have to much interest otherwise ...

That's my interest level in the NBA also...following former Wildcats...otherwise :icon_rolleyes:

[matt colvin]

That's my interest level in the NBA also...following former Wildcats...otherwise :icon_rolleyes:

I think that's how most UK fans are. But I do like the Celtics, particularly since they've had a lot of UK players. There are also a few players I really enjoy watching, like Garnett and "King" James.

[Kentuckian in Mexico]

Just a discussion topic:

couple of the radio announcers late last night were saying that the NCAA would rather see the NBA go back to drafting HS players rather than the
one and done kids.

Reasons are various: kids don't really get all the development they need in one year, teams don't form properly in the 'star oneanddone' set up,
coaches feel they are pressured to win by bringing in kids that will actually
end up costing them a few years down the road due to APR...and other
things.

Love him or hate him (and he was a lot easier to love when he was in the NBA) Rick Pitino once stated he didn't mind kids leaving after their sophomore seasons....he said that was kind of like a 'reverse JUCO' but
felt that players that only intended to stay one year would be better for
themselves (and the teams) by going ahead and trying the pros.

Kinda dead time in basketball...what are your opinions on this subject?

The fact of the matter is that it really doesn't matter what we the fans think. The NCAA and NBA are going to do what they think is best for their bottom lines knowing the fans are going to continue to watch their favorite teams play regardless. I hate the NBA, stopped watching many, many years ago. I think the NBA has had a huge negative effect on NCAA hoops over the past twenty years or so. Judging by the posts here, most fans would like to see a 3 or 4 year commitment from a college player, but it ain't gonna happen. The best players are going to continue to be syphoned off and we NCAA fans are going to continue to suffer and wonder what if so and so had stayed one more year?

Olympic basketball has been ruined also. I have not watched a game since they went pro for the playes. I used to love to watch Olympic basketball and see our kids vie for the gold. Now it's the prima donnas from the NBA that play. Winning has become so much more important than how you play the game. Not just in the USA, but worldwide. How I long for the good old days when players stayed all four years and going to the Olympics could be the highlight of a college players career. Now it's all about how fast can I get to the NBA and make my megabucks and screw the University that helped me get there. (with a few exceptions) Just my two cents,

[ScottDub]

I think that's how most UK fans are. But I do like the Celtics, particularly since they've had a lot of UK players. There are also a few players I really enjoy watching, like Garnett and "King" James.

I am the same way. I have long supported the drafting concept similar to baseball. Either go out of high school or wait until after the second or third year (I'd prefer third, but I think second would probably be the best compromise). You mention LeBron James and I think he is an example of why players should have the ability to go out of high school. I know that not all players develop and are ready to perform if they skip college, but James obviously had the tools to do it.

[dougwhit]

im not a vital fan, but i like his idea. let them go straight to the nba out of highschool. if the go to college the must stay 3yrs.