Age restrictions in the NBA

[Ripper 0]

With the Players association and the NBA due to formulate a CBA this summer, one of the issues that people think Stern is going to push for is a age limit in the nba, basically saying that noone under 20 at a certain date can enter the NBA.

 

I for one think this is bullshit, but hows about you guys. I will explain the pure bullshitory of this in a little bit, but I just wanted to see your opinions.

[Crimson Platypus 0]

While I think that it's bullshit that they would restrict an adult's right to work for the NBA I think that it would be good for pro basketball in general. It would also be fantastic for college basketball.

[Black Lushus 0]

eh I'm for it, there are several great players that made the high school to pro leap, but there are far more that turned out to be busts...the CBA would be perfect for them to go to develop and then join whatever team drafts them when they're 18...similar to the rule that if you draft a non senior, that player can remain with his college and then go to the team that drafted him once he graduates (is that rule still in effect, btw?)...

[Guest Failed Mascot]

I agree with the age limit.

 

1.) It works with the NFL and helps veterans keep their jobs longer.

 

2.) Too many people are entering far before they're ready to play at the NBA level which causes crappy basketball.

 

3.) It forces them to go to college where they can get some form of insurance (incase they suffer a career ending injury down the road) via education.

 

4.) Gives more time for the player to mature both physically and as a person. Too many immature millionaires in the NBA that don't respect the game.

[Ripper 0]

Can someone tell me the "bust" from Highschool to NBA. The only ones I can come up with are Leon Smith and MAYBE Kwame Brown, although he showed flashes last year. I think that the successes FAR outnumber the bust. I can name guys like Joe Smith and Michael Olajakandilksfldsjf and Shawn Bradly that played college careers and proceeded to be high draft picks and suck to high hell. Nba/highschool....what ever. good players are going to be good, bad players are going to suck. I don't see the connection between the two.

 

And I don't know what college you guys went to, but getting ass from coeds constantly isn't exactly the path to maturity. Not knocking college, but dude...seriouly.

 

Back up plan to the NBA? They are going to be millionares. Even with a career ending injury, they will be millionares. You can pay for college later. Plus, college education in now way equals a good career.

 

Also, FUCK college basketball. Until the include a pay for these kids. FUCK college basketball. I am serious. There is no reason these kids, drawing millions upons millions of dollars to the NCAA shouldn't be able to have at least 4-500 dollaars a month spending money. You can't get a job if you are in the NCAA, so why not.

 

The thing I hate most about this is the fact that if a player needs money, and needs it now (like the way Magic Johnson did) they will not have the option to capitalize on their talents until one or two years while their family will have to suffer. That opens the door wide open to fixed college games, point shaving and under the table dealings. Players leaving college early to support a struggling family happens more often than you think.

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

I agree with the limit, however I would say that if someone reallly needs some money then players can still enter the draft at 18 and if they are selected they would play in the NBDL until their 20.

[Black Lushus 0]

there are more than two, Rip, come on now man...I will check on NBA.com over the rosters and give you more names...who has been good? you can count on one hand that number...there have been tons of kids who haven't done well...hell it took Jermaine O'Neal several seasons to finally become something...

[Guest Failed Mascot]

Back up plan to the NBA? They are going to be millionares. Even with a career ending injury, they will be millionares. You can pay for college later.

They'll lose it in a year suping up their SUVs and paying for their cocaine addictions.

 

Also, FUCK college basketball.  Until the include a pay for these kids.  FUCK college basketball.  I am serious.  There is no reason these kids, drawing millions upons millions of dollars to the NCAA shouldn't be able to have at least 4-500 dollaars a month spending money.  You can't get a job if you are in the NCAA, so why not.

They get a free college education to the school of their choice if they're really that good. I don't know who told you that you can't get a job but you sure as hell can, you just can't go doing promotional stuff. They don't care if you flip burgers or mow lawns or whatever though.

 

The thing I hate most about this is the fact that if a player needs money, and needs it now (like the way Magic Johnson did) they will not have the option to capitalize on their talents until one or two years while their family will have to suffer.

Boosters take care of them and 99% of the time the NCAA turns a blind eye to it.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

The reason it works in football is because of body development, in terms of size. You simply can't take the punishment of the NFL at age 18. Warren Sapp was 210 lbs when he entered college. You think he'd have a chance at becoming the player he was if he came then instead of going in at 350 or whatever it was?

 

The same doesn't really apply to basketball. THey're already tall, filling out isn't as big a deal, and they can learn the game while that's going on if they're not good already, or big. That's why there's an age limit in the NFL, and you don't really need one in the NBA.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Definitely bullshit. The NBA should take into consideration that not everyone wants to even bother with college. If the kids are talented enough, hey, why not? It's not like this is a new thing either. When did Moses Malone play?

[Ripper 0]

there are more than two, Rip, come on now man...I will check on NBA.com over the rosters and give you more names...who has been good? you can count on one hand that number...there have been tons of kids who haven't done well...hell it took Jermaine O'Neal several seasons to finally become something...

No, more than two, but that was all that I could name off the top of my head.

 

actually, if you look at the players drafted between 1995(the year KG started this whole thing back up) and 2000, 13 players declaired themselves eligible and 9 of them: Garnett, Bryant, McGrady, Jermaine O'Neal, Rashard Lewis, Al Harrington, Darius Miles, Jonathan Bender and DeShawn Stevenson all remain in the league contributing to their teams in some way with 7 of them being damn fine players, at least above average by NBA standards. Leon Smith and Korleone Young were gone with in a year, although Leon came back a few times after his brushes with the law, which would have happened had he been in college. Taj McDavid and Ellis Richardson weren't drafted, but they couldn't get the scores to get into college and they weren't that good anyway.

 

So in those 5 years, they are 9-4 on good to bad.

 

After that, I can think of Amare Stoudemire, Lebron James, Travis Outlaw, Nbudi Ebi, Kedrick Perkins, Dwight Howard, Shaun Livingston, Robert Swift, Sebastian Telfair, Al Jefferson, Josh Smith, J.R. Smith, Dorell Wright, Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler, Eddie Curry, and Desagna Diop.

 

I can hosnetly say, outside of Diop, you would be hard pressed to name any of the rest of them flops.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

I'm torn. On one hand, I hate college basketball. But on the other hand, the level of NBA suckiness is directly proportional to the number of dumbass high school kids in the league. To be honest I wish they had a real minor league and we got the best of both worlds.

[Guest Failed Mascot]

I believe Brandon Hunter was straight out of High School and he flopped. He had the nickname of Baby Shaq too.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I'm sorta along the lines Black Lushus is, but I think you should be allowed to be drafted at 16. However, there should be an official NBA minor leagues where these youngin's and other journeyman can play if it turns out someone that just got their driving license isn't the "next Jordan" after 20 regular-season games.

 

Plus drafting a player then letting him go to college for a few years would work for me, too...

[Ripper 0]

I believe Brandon Hunter was straight out of High School and he flopped. He had the nickname of Baby Shaq too.

He went to Ohio.

[Styles 0]

NBA teams should have a minor league affiliate like in MLB. Draft your player, if you think he needs more experience, put him in your minor league team and call him up when he's ready. This helps with roster depth too. None of this 10 day contract BS. You could take chances on guys from Europe and undrafted players with potential and develop them until they're ready.

I don't think the NBA should owe anything to the NCAA. Once a player is 18 they should be able to make the choice whether to attend college or not.

I do think to help with maturity, dues paying, skills development and experience level, minor league affiliates are a great idea, though.

[Ripper 0]

I don't think that a minor league system would work in the NBA.

 

Basketball is a sport that when played perfectly, is a great team game. However, if one person is looking to pad their stats, they can do so. In other words, one has the ability to turn a NBA game into a personal showcase instead of like baseball and football.

 

You take a group of guys, all trying to play and show their abilities so that they can get to the bigs, there won't be much development at all.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

College Basketball basically is a minor league for some of these kids. Might as well do what they want minus the classload, majoring in scuba diving or general studies or PE or whatever the fuck. Like that's really something to "fall back on." But yeah, an organized farm system would do wonders for the NBA.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

You take a group of guys, all trying to play and show their abilities so that they can get to the bigs, there won't be much development at all.

Actually, I think it'd be the opposite case. Players busting ass to make the cut means they'll be FORCED to develop, or else play for a small club for the rest of their career. Teams need standout players and leaders anyway. The GM could choose to bring up a spotlight-stealer, or someone who gets by as a good role-player/fundamentals kinda guy. Depends what the team needs, and what their players are capable of.

[Styles 0]

Exactly, Agent. Playing in the minors would be an experience that teaches them them dicipline and how to be a team player. It's like college only without the bs classes. Install good coaches with good teaching skills (great spot for recently retired vets from your organization) to develop your team. That way they come into the NBA humbled and matured and coached well and won't try to play like it's a streetball exibition...

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

..unless of course you've got a team of nobodies that don't put up points..then try to breed some stars. The fact that teams would have direct control over this would probably improve the quality of the pro game. Imagine for instance if baseball relied on nothing but college players/walk ons/foreigners.

[razazteca 0]

I can name guys like Joe Smith and Michael Olajakandilksfldsjf and Shawn Bradly that played college careers and proceeded to be high draft picks and suck to high hell. Nba/highschool....what ever.

The tall skinny mormon Shawn Bradley only played one year at BYU before jumping to NBA.

[Ripper 0]

You take a group of guys, all trying to play and show their abilities so that they can get to the bigs, there won't be much development at all.

Actually, I think it'd be the opposite case. Players busting ass to make the cut means they'll be FORCED to develop, or else play for a small club for the rest of their career. Teams need standout players and leaders anyway. The GM could choose to bring up a spotlight-stealer, or someone who gets by as a good role-player/fundamentals kinda guy. Depends what the team needs, and what their players are capable of.

You obviously haven't seen the Clippers play.

 

For years, the Clippers were just a team of players that were playing to get a good contract when theirs is up with theclippers. So basically you had a great shooter "most of the time Eric Piakowski" that never got to shoot because everyone on the team was a black hole. Good or bad, putting up 20 points will get you more looks than being that role player that gets it done. Guys suffering the minors are not about to make the extra pass to the open guy when they could pad their stats. Fast break? Who ever has the ball first is taking it all the way. Big men in the NBA will get it on the block, if they get pushed out to far will kick it back out, get better position and get it right back. Try that shit with a free agent passing you the ball. You aren't getting the ball back.

 

In the sense of practice and learning at practice, yeah, they will get more opportunity, but in real basketball experience, I just don't see it happening.

[NoCalMike 0]

I wish Chris Wilcox would have stayed at Maryland for a couple more years instead of going to the Clippers. Maryland definately would have had a chance for back to back NCAA titles.

 

The problem now in the NBA is that GMs feel pressured to take a highschool kid, just in case they turn out to be the next Lebron James.

[Precious Roy 0]

Complete bullshit

[Guest Vitamin X]

All I have to say is the maturity difference between 17/18 and 21/22 is enormous. The current system seems to work just fine, the development of a minor league seems like a tremendous waste of money when the player should have gone to college and play ball there if he wasn't a surefire talent right out of high school. Out of the list that Ripper mentioned, only James has become a star in his first couple years out of high school; every single other one of those players needed time to develop in the league and perhaps as a result may have not quite been fully adapted to the maturity level one needs to be at when being looked at as a professional athlete. A friend of mine who's also a Lakers fan have arguments all the time about Kobe, but he makes a good point in that athletes are looked at as role models, and when you have 19 year old multi-millionaires playing street ball for a few years, getting spoiled with championships, and then getting into some shit like some bitch accusing you of rape to get cash... You see what happens. Being a pro athlete isn't just about how well you play the game, you have to be consisted of enough maturity and carry yourself well enough in public and with the media as well.

 

The only thing I like about the idea of the minor league system is that retired vets can go on to become coaches, so they'll have something to do with themselves after they retire.

[UZI Suicide 0]

there are more than two, Rip, come on now man...I will check on NBA.com over the rosters and give you more names...who has been good?  you can count on one hand that number...there have been tons of kids who haven't done well...hell it took Jermaine O'Neal several seasons to finally become something...

No, more than two, but that was all that I could name off the top of my head.

 

actually, if you look at the players drafted between 1995(the year KG started this whole thing back up) and 2000, 13 players declaired themselves eligible and 9 of them: Garnett, Bryant, McGrady, Jermaine O'Neal, Rashard Lewis, Al Harrington, Darius Miles, Jonathan Bender and DeShawn Stevenson all remain in the league contributing to their teams in some way with 7 of them being damn fine players, at least above average by NBA standards. Leon Smith and Korleone Young were gone with in a year, although Leon came back a few times after his brushes with the law, which would have happened had he been in college. Taj McDavid and Ellis Richardson weren't drafted, but they couldn't get the scores to get into college and they weren't that good anyway.

 

So in those 5 years, they are 9-4 on good to bad.

 

After that, I can think of Amare Stoudemire, Lebron James, Travis Outlaw, Nbudi Ebi, Kedrick Perkins, Dwight Howard, Shaun Livingston, Robert Swift, Sebastian Telfair, Al Jefferson, Josh Smith, J.R. Smith, Dorell Wright, Kwame Brown, Tyson Chandler, Eddie Curry, and Desagna Diop.

 

I can hosnetly say, outside of Diop, you would be hard pressed to name any of the rest of them flops.

Brown, Outlaw, Ebi, Perkins and Chandler are busts. Curry also is to some extent. If Robert Swift and Sebastian Telfair continue at their shit pace they will be busts. JR Smith and Josh Smith are just dunkers, they have really no basketball skill at all aside from that, so I would consider them to be just another couple of Darius Miles clones.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I wouldn't call Perkins a bust yet for another couple years.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

I don't think they should start a farm league, but I think it's dumb to draft a kid from high school because most of them take a long time to make an impact. If a GM wants to take a chance on somebody, it's their decision. I think things are fine the way they are. Eventually this will fizzle out.

[Brett Favre 0]

I wouldn't call Chandler a bust either (well he was a high pick, but he's developing into a solid player). But just look at the CBA, filled with many high schoolers who didn't make it.