The previous policy of allowing high school phenoms to join were fine and generated a lot of hype and revenue for the NBA. See Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Amar'e Stoudamire, LeBron James and maybe even Andrew Bynum. There is not as much hype in recent drafts as before 2005. Although you might point out names like Kwame Brown, at least he is still a decent center.
I don't care either way. But really, the whole "college to fall back on" seems like an excuse. Most kids who are destined for the NBA aren't in college for school. They take one year of communications, get preferential treatment, and are groomed for the NBA. Only a few highly touted players per year were even being selected from high school in the first place.
, how many players stay in college the entire four years anyways?
I could name you one that the Raptors would regret passing over. Brandon Roy.
True. I guess keeping a player from joining the NBA could mean a difference between 80 million dollars and 70 million dollars, or something to that effect.
Thats another reason I hate it because the majority of these kids have no desire to be in college. I live in ACC country in NC and I know plenty of stories and know a few nba players who have told me about their playing days at UNC and how they would skip and cut class all the time knowing the professors would bend the rules along with giving them passing grades for not doing . It really makes a mockery of the education system when these guys are going to these top schools but not taking the classes seriously and thats why I prefer they have the right to go to the NBA at 18.
There was a video with Roy and Amar'e talking about the age limit some time back on youtube. They personally feel that the age limit is crap.
Or if he gets a career ending injury playing college ball the year he had to sit out, it could very well mean a difference between some millions (considering rookie scale contract and endorsements) and absolutely zero.
Plus my point was that comparing athletes and government positions is completely nonsensical.
I'd love to see that, just so college basketball can matter more.
as i understand it, a large part of the problem is that there is no comparable alternative to the NBA. In other countries you have the pro league and several semi pro and amateur leagues all affiliated under the same FIBA umbrella, but in the US you have the NBA, Dleague, and college, and the differences in income from one to the other are very steep.
for a young player its NBA or bust, literally. if the college teams paid them to play instead of giving them a scholarship they cant tangibly value, I'm sure you'd see the players recognize to which segment they belong- straight to the NBA (I'm ready), go to college for a while (I need to develop) or go to college for good (I'm not going to cut it). In fact, you could have the college teams pay the players, say 100.000 each. of that 100.000, say 15% is kept by the school in a player's fund. (they are not going to class during this time, just training all day). if the player leaves school to go pro, he can collect the ac ulated 15% the college has been keeping 3 years after leaving. and if things dont work out, either because of injury, bust, doesnt get drafted, whatever, he can forfeit that money and use it as tuition. you could finetune the numbers but that seems fair to me, its not like the colleges would lose money and that way the players get a fair shake.
now as others have said this is an agreement between owners and players union so others opinion dont really matter. but I think that, if the issue is improving the opportunities of young players and trying to minimize the number of kids who dont make it and have nothing else to fall back on, that you need to reform the intermediate / lower levels (college) before going to the highest level (nba).
Companies can have policies... But each franchise is a different company. These companies WANT TO HIRE THESE PLAYERS... Therefore the NBA as an organization is blocking adults from being hired... It is wrong. If the NBA wants to avoid this problem, let them have a real farm system. Nobody is ing at baseball or hockey about this.
Why should big schools get paid on these players' dime (sans a fake education) when they don't want to be there, and in reality, they are hurting the school, and the potential for real 'student athletes' who have no chance of making it to the 'pros' from being able to seek an athletic scholarship...
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