Yes I am a rookie. Please go easy on me. What is the rule on the forgein players being able to play on a NBA team? Do they first have to declare for the draft before they can play? What if they are over 22? If a NBA team drafts a player (foreign or domestic) and they go and play in Europe or somewhere else, does the NBA team retain their rights?
Foreign players under 22 must declare for the draft. 22 and above are automatically eligible. If an NBA team drafts a player and they sign to play in another league (a European league, for instance), then the NBA team retains their draft rights. The only way they lose the rights is if the player sits out the season and doesn't play for any pro team. Then they'd go back into the draft the following year.
