O'neal charges NBA with racial motives (again)

[sickdsm]

Jermaine O'Neal, who entered the draft out of high school, has been an outspoken critic of an age limit. Although he is in favor of a feeder system, he said it should not be contingent on age and cautioned about the stigma of being sent down to the development league. "Look at Dwight Howard - there's no better way to learn than on the job," O'Neal said of Orlando's rebounding star, who is a strong contender for rookie of the year. "You can't learn it in the N.B.D.L." Nor, O'Neal said, can you learn techniques of professional basketball in college." New York Times

"An age limit could mean fewer contracts for N.B.A. owners to sign, but perhaps the union would negotiate changes in the rookie wage scale or the veteran maximum. (Jermaine) O'Neal said the league was trying to reduce opportunity, primarily for young black players, and he said he considered race to be a factor. "If you sit down and you ask the majority of all the black basketball players," O'Neal said, "you say, 'Why do you think there's so much talk about basketball players coming out at a young age, and there's no more talk how hockey and other sports have been doing it for years, decades?'" New York Times


I can't find how thats racist. The same players that stick in the NBA would still be coming out, only a year or two later. Its not like guys like JON or KG wouldn't be able to play in the NBA.

[samikeyp]

Yeah because there are all those white high school kids that are jumping straight to the NBA! :rolleyes

[sickdsm]

Doesn't mean they will be able to play just bc the Kwame's and KG's have to wait/go to school/overseas a year or two. Do you honestly think that guys like Rick Rickert and Sato would have a roster spot if this was intact? If anything it would make guys like Dwight Howard, phenomanal year for a HS kid, stay in school, come out in a year or two and be ready to tear it up like Duncan did, or a Robinson. Guys like Kwame Brown, Ndudi Ebi, Curry, Chandler would be drafted this past year or next and would be worlds better than they are now. More importantly it would teach them how to act.

Do you think guys like Kwame, Curry, chandler, Kobe would have that big of a chip on there shoulder if they went a few years in school?

Shaq would still be in LA had Kobe gone to school for two years.

Guys like Shaq, KG, LeBron, Magic, MJ, Kobe, Tmac is why fans tune in and watch. It excites them. But Stern must obviously be racist and want more Bobby Sura's, Wally's, Doleac's and other mediocre white players to take the place's of the athlete's, right??? Larry Bird is not walking onto the court anytime soon, and if he does it's not going to effect his or anyone else's chance of making a roster if this goes through.

Obviously as a Spurs fan this doesn't affect you like it will other teams. Your FO is fed up with the way things are going now, that's why its all overseas drafts for you. If anything, it would be worse for the Spurs bc other teams wouldn't feel the need to waste picks on a young kid, fearing that they could pass up the next KG, Kobe, or LeBron. More often than not though it ends up being a total bust, or the guy leaves when he's developed.

[samikeyp]

dude...relax. I was agreeing with you...not O'Neal. I don't think the NBA is racist by setting an age limit. I was being sarcastic with my post. If I misunderstood you than I apologize...I gathered by this statement
I can't find how thats racist. The same players that stick in the NBA would still be coming out, only a year or two later. Its not like guys like JON or KG wouldn't be able to play in the NBA that you were not agreeing with O'Neal and his charge of racism.

[sickdsm]

My bad.

[JMarkJohns]

I'm guessing that in a few years when Jermaine's roster spot is stolen by some raw prep star, he'll have a change of heart.

If anything, this keeps NBA players in the NBA by freeing up roster spots.

It is not racist at all...

[sickdsm]

JON didn't really do anything his first 3? years anyhow. Regardless of him being on a stacked team.

[ShoogarBear]

If it's so good, why don't we have an age limit for baseball and hockey?

[sickdsm]

Don't know much about hockey but i know that baseball isn't revolving around the kids like basketball is. HS kids seem to be pimped as much as established stars based on potential. There are few roster spots and teams get sucked into the guaranteed contracts on worthless players. these kids rot on the bench and when they don't make an impact there first three years they often will never get a decent chance.