I was reading the article below and I know this has been talked about in the past, but I thought I would re-hash it one more time. I honestly believe that there should be an age rule in the NBA. I love the fact that the NFL has an age rule where a player has to be in college 3 years before he can enter the draft. I also like the fact that Stern states that they don't have to go to college, but they can't enter the draft until they reach a certain age. If i'm not mistaken I think the NBA did have an age rule and it was changed in the late 80's or early 90's.. I believe it was Isiah Thomas who forced that rule change. Anyway i would like to hear everyone's thought on this.. T_Man David Stern wants change to age rule http://espn.go.com/nba/draft2012/story/_/id/7771454/nba-commissioner-david-stern-hopes-change-draft-age-rule
Id rather have guys do what jeremy tyler and jeenings did vs going to college for 1 yr. Hell,I would prefer them to go to nbdl for a yr vs college for a yr. I think going to college,especially for a big player for a yr is a waste. Davis will probably come out and get drafted 1st and won't have a impact for 3 or 4 yrs. Look at a guy like Favors right now playing. The problem davis will have is without a offensive skill set he's going to be playing against guys bigger and stronger than him who are just as athletic.
The problem between that comparison is that the NFL is such that you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who would excel straight out of college. People need time in college to get heavier, stronger, and faster. But mostly heavier and stronger. The NBA is full of examples where future superstars skipped college and were all the better for it. Lebron, Kobe, Garnett, McGrady, etc. Someone with the work ethic and pedigree of a young Kobe is wasting his time if he can't cut his teeth four hours daily against better competition. Nonetheless, no one should argue that the current age limit is detrimental to the NBA (thanks for your awesome teamwork skills, Tyreke Evans and Demarcus Cousins) and virtually killing college basketball. The one and done has allowed for the emergence of "feeder" programs where nothing happens except the top 5 recruits matching to the top feeder program (Kentucky), the next 5 matching to the second best feeder program (UNC?), etc etc. It's basically turning men's BBall into women's college bball (Geno Auriemma is a bigger cheat than Calipari! too bad no one cares). Parity is dying out. Baseball is the medium between the current NFL rules and the current NBA rules that everyone is clamoring for. 3 years or zero years, recruits decide. No matter what they end up choosing, I think that some process of selection for those who are ready vs those who need more time is essential if not inevitable. There's too much money being potentially lost here not to make it happen.
None of those guys were ready, they all became stars, but Lebron even with 20-5-5 shot close to 40 percent and led the league in turnovers. KB was off the bench without any refined perimiter shot...basically these guys are forcefed. I do agree that playesrl ikt hat that know they are meant to be pros and not interested in college shouldn't bother wiht it. They should develop in Europe(I think this is the best place to get chalanged and develop because they have college like practices and its all hoops all day) or maybe the NBDL. I want the NBA to be the final product where they will refine, but not grow into their bodies, etc. Yes some are ready, but these are rare and more often than not hte majority aren't. I'd love to see it become 20 years
I think it's perfectly fine the way it is. They can play one year of college ball, see if they are really ready, and then make a more educated decision. If they still think they are ready after that year, then they should have every right to go for the NBA. Personally, for me, it's either this way or no age rule at all. Don't add more years to it.
If you're gonna blame someone, blame the NCAA.There's no incentives for a player to want to stay in college. Let them go to the draft and use their marketable skills to earn a job. Better than being essentially pimped out by the NCAA and their ridiculous rules and regulations. And to those that complain about the "tradition", the camaraderie and tradition is dead. It's all big business and the bottom line now. Let them get a piece of the pie while they can rather than being unpaid semi-pros in college.
Seriously, what's the point of wasting away in college where you can get injured, not get drafted and miss out on millions. Then they go out and punish players who take some money on the side. NCAA is worse then Stern and Selig combined.
It's fine how it is. I'll say this much, college basketball is a lot more exciting and interesting with an age rule. Without one, it's star-less and desolate.
Make the age to 27 that way everyone will be in their prime when they enter the league. Make everyone else go to Europe before that.
I agree with everything except "**** the NCAA". I don't see why an NBA team should have to wait. If they are willing to take the chance on developing a kid at 17 or 18 why not allow them that. They may even get lucky and get a Lebron. Still, I like the idea of there being Andrew Bynum caliber guys later in the draft. I think it was a reasonable safeguard to sustained mediocrity.
Do you really think two years at a academically-challenged university like, say Memphis, is really going to make a dumb person not dumb?
Why do you watch the game? For the philosophical debates between the players and the referees? No. Come on now...
Personally I feel as if they need to move the age up to 20 or 21.. This would give the kids more incentive to stay in school, since most of them would not want to go to the D-League. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eligibility_for_the_NBA_Draft