Should The NBA Draft High School Players?

Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
yesterday
Silver said he would like to see high school players eligible to enter the NBA Draft and hopefully that will be worked out in the next CBA. But as if now, it's still one-and-done. #NBA


Bob
MY NOTE:  

Any HS players?  How about HS Juniors?  Sophomores?  How about kids that are struggling to graduate at all?  GREs?  Suppose a HS kid is drafted in the first round?  He knows he doesn't have to go to college since he'll have an NBA roster spot in a year no matter where he plays.  How about Deuce?  He's 4 years old now.  In 12 years he'll be a college sophomore (junior?).  Should an NBA team be able to draft him then knowing his pedigree?  I know that's a "slippery slope" argument and just like most slippery slope arguments they tend to use unlikely possibilities to make a point but look at what LeBron is trying to do for his son.  Suppose the NBA let his son be drafted out of HS (cannot/will not happen because of the current CBA)?  He has already said he'll play wherever his son will be.  Draft his son as a HS student and you're effectively tampering by locking his son into a team perhaps years before he takes the court, and that effectively commits his dad too.  Tatum will be 38 years old in 14 years, and maybe still playing.  Deuce would be 18 then.  

What do you think?  As I've suggested there are some unanswered questions.  Feel free to add an explanation to your vote.  In fact, I strongly encourage it.  How about HS Juniors and/or Sophomores?  How long should the team that drafts them have rights to them?  Suppose they go to college, do they still own their rights and for how long?  If it's just for one year the league is almost guaranteeing a one-and-done for players who were great in HS but that underachieve at the college level.  If it's one-and-done is it one-and-done from HS graduation or from draft day?

How long the team's rights to that HS player lasts should be included with any 'yes' vote, since that is a significant and very impactful part of any decision whether to draft or not.  Right now teams own 1st round rights forever and 2nd round rights for a year.  Should a team be able to draft a HS player with the #30 pick and own them forever?  In a weak draft that might look like the best long-term strategy whose regular season record was so good they ended up with the #30 pick.  Phoenix had the league's best record last season, but didn't have a first round pick.  But suppose they did?  They'd be picking #30 and they already have a young team.  They could afford to draft a HS Junior with #30 with the expectation they wouldn't be playing in the NBA for 3-4 years and that'd be perfect for them.  Should they be able to?  Should they be required to sign that first round HS player to an NBA contract with a future start date, which means there are salary cap implications whether he ever plays or not?

And what about the effect on the quality of play in the league if the average age of rookies get even younger?  Will it dilute the quality because a kid out of HS drafted in the 1st round is getting a roster spot over a seasoned veteran?

Obviously I do NOT see this as something as facile as "an 18 year old's right to work and a corporation's right to hire anybody to a full-time job as soon as they are legally old enough".  I'm trying to generate some focus by making this a poll but is it a question that can be answered with a simple answer?  

Multiple Choice not allowed (make a decision, damn it!)
Vote Cancelling allowed, so you can change your mind and re-vote.
'Other' is for your own approach, if you feel my options are too limiting or misfocused, or if you're a wild thang who refuses to be lassoed.



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NFW!!!!!!

I don't even like the one and done college option.

I'm sure the majority of players drafted to the NBA don't stick long enough to have a profitable enough career to carry them through their lifetime.

Drafting younger players, and circumventing any shot they have at classroom or on-the-job training would only increase the number of former players who are poorly equipped to build a life off the court.

Horrible idea with the potential for disaster in my opinion.

I don't like the high school draft option at all.  Sure, there are some guys (Kobe, KG, LeBum, etc.) who succeeded right out of high school.  But there are a bunch of other guys who didn't, and it's hard to identify who the best players are going to be at that level, playing against a wide range of talent.  

I went to high school with a 9-year NBA player (Eric Murdock).  I think our HS team lost 4 games in his 4 years there (mostly to a team with another NBA-bound player in Anthony Avant), and routinely won games by 50 points.  He looked like a god out there.  He was a standout college player at Providence as well, but was never an NBA standout, and I think only had one year as a starter with the Bucks.  Looking at him in HS would have given a pretty warped perspective on his talent, compared to his 4 years of college play, which led to him being drafted 21st, about in line with what he contributed as an NBA bench player.  

In addition to the difficulty in evaluating high school talent, another issue comes in putting kids on the court against grown men.  A 17 year old high school player is going to get crushed at practices and in games against guys in their 20s and 30s before his body has had a chance to fill out.  Sure, some guys like LeBron had an adult physique coming out of high school, but a lot of guys are still growing into their bodies, need to put on muscle, improve their conditioning and strength, etc.  This ups the risk of injuries, and lessens the impact most of these guys would have in their first year or two, making them more 'projects' than immediate contributors.  

That also contributes to a less interesting and competitive product on the court.  Fans are excited to see new draft picks come in and help their team, not sit at the end of the bench for a year or two.  If teams start trying to 'poach' future stars by drafting them early, that's likely to happen, with a number of the players not ready for prime time.

Finally, it's bad for the players themselves. If kids think they have a path right from HS to the NBA, they're not necessarily going to focus on their studies or necessarily apply to colleges. If they don't get drafted, or they do and fizzle out, they've lost the chance to go to college on a scholarship and that will have an impact on the rest of their lives.

Fail No. 1:

One and done is a joke. Many of these players do not attend classes and couldn't care less about the "student" part of being a student-athlete. The schools make it their goal to dumb down the curriculum, but even then, these "students" often fail to even show up. A new trend is for these guys to take a pass for their team's playoff tournament (March Madness) because they may get hurt, which will affect their earning power in the pros.

It may be time to end the whole charade.

Fail No. 2:

The NCAA is a joke. Many of these top ranked programs continually cheat, often right out in the open. The top ranked programs are never punished for providing money for the "students" and their families. Rules are rules, but not in the corrupt NCAA. Money talks very loudly.

It is way past time to end this charade as well.

To answer the actual question:

Once a person reaches the age of being an adult (18?) they should be allowed to be available for the NBA draft. No restrictions should be placed on any "adult" regarding prior education in this matter.

Capitalism takes no back seats to what is best for individuals or society in general. Why should this instance (college sports) be any different? [italics used instead of unavailable sarcasm font]

I think that although there may be very few guys who gain success in the NBA coming right out of high school if drafted that no one should be able to limit them in their choices as adults either.

A kid who wants to become a (example) plumber does not have to wait until he goes to college for a year before starting his career, and neither do any other job seekers except in some professional sports as far as I know. Certainly, I believe that we all understand that "proper training" will be required for success in any career choice, but who is to tell a young person that they are going to have to go to college before they can make that choice.

Lots of folks who decide on a career end up having to make adjustments to their first career choice, and so it will be the same for many basketball kids who think that they are ready for the NBA right out of high school.

With that said, I would suggest that the NBA takes a similar approach as MLB in that if the kid does not sign right out of high school that he can not enter the draft again until he is a junior. This concept assists the colleges who get to "keep" a signed player longer than the 'one and done' idea, and also gives the guys who take the college route a much better chance at actually benefiting from the college academic side of the equation while further developing his basketball skills.

The kid who takes the college option for three years is much more likely to get close enough to a college degree even in the corrupt NCAA system to the point in time that he may actually decide to finish his college program.

Of course, we know that not every kid is destined for college, and the many schools who have athletic programs can still fudge eligibility situations but it is tougher to do for three years than it is for only the one year with the young guys who are forced to wait for their chance while in the 'one and done' deal.

As there are plenty of guys who think they are ready for the NBA, the NBA will quickly let them know if the League thinks that each guy is ready. With only two draft picks per year and then only 15 roster spots the NBA teams are not going to actually draft any too many guys right out of high school because they cannot afford to have their roster spots going to guys who cannot help them "soon enough/right away".

I say let everyone get drafted and then let things play out just like it will for every other kid who does not have any basketball chance of making the NBA. The NBA really should not tell anyone that they have to wait before making such a choice even if there are many, many kids who are not ready to make this choice.

wideclyde wrote:I think that although there may be very few guys who gain success in the NBA coming right out of high school if drafted that no one should be able to limit them in their choices as adults either.

A kid who wants to become a (example) plumber does not have to wait until he goes to college for a year before starting his career, and neither do any other job seekers except in some professional sports as far as I know.  Certainly, I believe that we all understand that "proper training" will be required for success in any career choice, but who is to tell a young person that they are going to have to go to college before they can make that choice.

Lots of folks who decide on a career end up having to make adjustments to their first career choice, and so it will be the same for many basketball kids who think that they are ready for the NBA right out of high school.

With that said, I would suggest that the NBA takes a similar approach as MLB in that if the kid does not sign right out of high school that he can not enter the draft again until he is a junior.  This concept assists the colleges who get to "keep" a signed player longer than the 'one and done' idea, and also gives the guys who take the college route a much better chance at actually benefiting from the college academic side of the equation while further developing his basketball skills.

The kid who takes the college option for three years is much more likely to get close enough to a college degree even in the corrupt NCAA system to the point in time that he may actually decide to finish his college program.

Of course, we know that not every kid is destined for college, and the many schools who have athletic programs can still fudge eligibility situations but it is tougher to do for three years than it is for only the one year with the young guys who are forced to wait for their chance while in the 'one and done' deal.

As there are plenty of guys who think they are ready for the NBA, the NBA will quickly let them know if the League thinks that each guy is ready. With only two draft picks per year and then only 15 roster spots the NBA teams are not going to actually draft any too many guys right out of high school because they cannot afford to have their roster spots going to guys who cannot help them "soon enough/right away".

I say let everyone get drafted and then let things play out just like it will for every other kid who does not have any basketball chance of making the NBA.   The NBA really should not tell anyone that they have to wait before making such a choice even if there are many, many kids who are not ready to make this choice.

Clyde,

In Texas, for example, someone has to have 4000 hours (about 2 years) worth of experience as a plumber's apprentice before he/she can apply for a Tradesman license.  They must also take 24 hours worth of Board-approved classes and successfully pass the licensing exam.  Can a kid out of high school become a plumber in Texas?  Sure, but first...

This seems to be true in other states as well.  North Carolina requires a combination of 2 years of technical trade school and/or experience working for a plumber licensed in North Carolina.  "Technical trade school" is French for blue-collar college.  Pennsylvania has requirements (Philadelphia requires a 5 year apprenticeship, 2000 hours/year) which also include classroom work as well as work experience under a licensed plumber.  

It's even tougher to become an electrician, of course.

I'm not trying to harp on your example (i.e. plumbing) so much as point out that there are minimum job experience and training requirements even for jobs that kids may have been doing for years.  Auto mechanic.  Can anybody become an auto mechanic?  Sure, and if you lived under a car for your teenage years you might be really good at it, but if you want to be a licensed auto mechanic there are requirements just like for plumbers.  As jobs go from unskilled (e.g. flipping burgers) to semi-skilled to skilled the expectations go up with them and, with those higher expectations, come requirements for more education and experience.  You can't practice law before SCOTUS, the highest level, just because you were the captain of your HS debate team.  You can't perform open heart surgery just because you loved dissecting frogs in HS.  These are silly, over-the-top examples to be sure but I hope they make my point about the correlation between training and/or hands-on experience and the job.  The higher the skill level required the more prerequisite hoops that must be cleared before you can have that job.

The NBA isn't a training-level league, there's the G-League for that and all the lower caliber professional leagues around the world.  Nor is it the basketball version of a "trade school".  The NBA isn't a democracy in which everybody has the right to participate.  Quite the opposite, it is exceedingly Darwinian.  

Then there's the fan side of it.  There's no doubt in my mind that 17-18 year olds in the NBA will significantly dilute the product.  What those kids want aside how does that benefit fans like us? We want to watch elite, best-in-the-world hoops and not 82 games worth of Summer League scrimmages.

My 2c, again.  I guess that makes 4c total. Time for me to move on.


Bob


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Bob,

The licensing of professionals (plumbers, electricians, auto mechanics, etc.) was implemented over time for consumer protection and safety.  My Dad was an electrician in NH, starting from the mid 1950's.  No license was required at first, but later on in the 1970's, one was.  He was not required to take a test or take any classes, the state grandfathered experienced electricians at that time.

Doctors, lawyers and accountants are required to go to school, graduate and then take a test before being able to put out their shingle.  That process also evolved over time in order to get to today.  All this training and testing was set in place to protect the consumer from charlatans and quacks.

Playing basketball?  It has nothing to do with any of the above.  It is just entertainment and does not require consumer protection or safety rules or protection from substandard work, etc.  

If an unqualified player gets drafted, no one dies by electrocution, no one has their house ruined by a leaky pipe, no one has their car break down unnecessarily in the dead of night, no one dies from bad health care, no one goes to jail from bad representation and no one gets in trouble with the IRS for bad advice.  

If an unqualified player gets drafted, the team just isn't as good and loses games.  Fans get upset, but it isn't life or death, it's just entertainment.  The powers that be know that drafting right out of HS often dilutes the game, as does carrying 30+ teams when maybe having only 16 teams would make for a better product.  It is all about money and no matter what product is presented to the fans, the league still fills seats, sells team products and gets air time.

I guess that I've rambled on as well.  Time for me to also move on.

Listen, even mechanics are required to educate themselves and pass tests. After being a mechanic on heavy equipment for many years, my husband was required to get certified ASE mechanic testing and pass eight tests. Everyone has some type of requirement to get a paycheck.

Young kids coming out to high school, walking into a job where they will make millions of dollars for just signing a contract. The max contracts they get after their rookie deal makes millionaires at such and early age, without ever really earning this money really. Look at the money being thrown around. The players association has done their due diligence in getting a portion of all of the television money the owners were keeping for themselves.

The immaturity level is a problem I feel comes along with all of this. These kids are playing a man’s game and at times treating it like a playground game. My opinion but they need some rules and reg’s for allowing they young kids to play

bobheckler wrote:

wideclyde wrote:I think that although there may be very few guys who gain success in the NBA coming right out of high school if drafted that no one should be able to limit them in their choices as adults either.

A kid who wants to become a (example) plumber does not have to wait until he goes to college for a year before starting his career, and neither do any other job seekers except in some professional sports as far as I know.  Certainly, I believe that we all understand that "proper training" will be required for success in any career choice, but who is to tell a young person that they are going to have to go to college before they can make that choice.

Lots of folks who decide on a career end up having to make adjustments to their first career choice, and so it will be the same for many basketball kids who think that they are ready for the NBA right out of high school.

With that said, I would suggest that the NBA takes a similar approach as MLB in that if the kid does not sign right out of high school that he can not enter the draft again until he is a junior.  This concept assists the colleges who get to "keep" a signed player longer than the 'one and done' idea, and also gives the guys who take the college route a much better chance at actually benefiting from the college academic side of the equation while further developing his basketball skills.

The kid who takes the college option for three years is much more likely to get close enough to a college degree even in the corrupt NCAA system to the point in time that he may actually decide to finish his college program.

Of course, we know that not every kid is destined for college, and the many schools who have athletic programs can still fudge eligibility situations but it is tougher to do for three years than it is for only the one year with the young guys who are forced to wait for their chance while in the 'one and done' deal.

As there are plenty of guys who think they are ready for the NBA, the NBA will quickly let them know if the League thinks that each guy is ready. With only two draft picks per year and then only 15 roster spots the NBA teams are not going to actually draft any too many guys right out of high school because they cannot afford to have their roster spots going to guys who cannot help them "soon enough/right away".

I say let everyone get drafted and then let things play out just like it will for every other kid who does not have any basketball chance of making the NBA.   The NBA really should not tell anyone that they have to wait before making such a choice even if there are many, many kids who are not ready to make this choice.

Clyde,

In Texas, for example, someone has to have 4000 hours (about 2 years) worth of experience as a plumber's apprentice before he/she can apply for a Tradesman license.  They must also take 24 hours worth of Board-approved classes and successfully pass the licensing exam.  Can a kid out of high school become a plumber in Texas?  Sure, but first...

This seems to be true in other states as well.  North Carolina requires a combination of 2 years of technical trade school and/or experience working for a plumber licensed in North Carolina.  "Technical trade school" is French for blue-collar college.  Pennsylvania has requirements (Philadelphia requires a 5 year apprenticeship, 2000 hours/year) which also include classroom work as well as work experience under a licensed plumber.  

It's even tougher to become an electrician, of course.

I'm not trying to harp on your example (i.e. plumbing) so much as point out that there are minimum job experience and training requirements even for jobs that kids may have been doing for years.  Auto mechanic.  Can anybody become an auto mechanic?  Sure, and if you lived under a car for your teenage years you might be really good at it, but if you want to be a licensed auto mechanic there are requirements just like for plumbers.  As jobs go from unskilled (e.g. flipping burgers) to semi-skilled to skilled the expectations go up with them and, with those higher expectations, come requirements for more education and experience.  You can't practice law before SCOTUS, the highest level, just because you were the captain of your HS debate team.  You can't perform open heart surgery just because you loved dissecting frogs in HS.  These are silly, over-the-top examples to be sure but I hope they make my point about the correlation between training and/or hands-on experience and the job.  The higher the skill level required the more prerequisite hoops that must be cleared before you can have that job.

The NBA isn't a training-level league, there's the G-League for that and all the lower caliber professional leagues around the world.  Nor is it the basketball version of a "trade school".  The NBA isn't a democracy in which everybody has the right to participate.  Quite the opposite, it is exceedingly Darwinian.  

Then there's the fan side of it.  There's no doubt in my mind that 17-18 year olds in the NBA will significantly dilute the product.  What those kids want aside how does that benefit fans like us?  We want to watch elite, best-in-the-world hoops and not 82 games worth of Summer League scrimmages.

My 2c, again.  I guess that makes 4c total.  Time for me to move on.


Bob


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The NBA is already a diluted product. There’re  players that played 1-2 years college, and have made their way onto a team but are not really high level (Not necessarily stars. Just damn good players) like I believe all players in the NBA should be.
With that being said a 17 yr old won’t be seen by fans if he doesn't t make a team. If he made the team then he’s good enough to play. What difference does it make whether he’s 20 21 or 17?  Yeah there’s a maturity concern but the NBA isn’t in the business of baby sitting. Can’t worry bout that. Also there are some players close to 30 that are still immature. Unfortunately thats not something that can be regulated so it cannot and does not factor in.
As i said the league is already diluted and thats not going too change because in my opinion there’s too many teams.
if the player is talented enough to make a team, his age shouldn’t be a factor. Unless he’s 11 or something….

I do not think the NBA should be allowed to draft players that are still in HS.  I do think that once they graduate they should be draft eligible with an age requirement of 18 by the time the regular season begins.  

There should be an educational requirement of having graduated from HS or GDE equivalent.

I think we have to look at what is happening in other sports.  MLB has an age requirement of 18 years old unless you are an international player then you have to be only 17.  

They have been  15 year old professional tennis players out there.  

The NHL can draft a kid at 17 as long they turns 18 by Sept 15th.

I think there is a certain prospective about this that we are overlooking.  It is rare that a kid playing basketball or any other sport makes it to the professional level.   It can find a place in the much ado about nothing category. Looking at the NBA and not considering other professional sports lacks objectivity.

Gents,

I fully understand your theories of having to prepare for the positions you mentioned, but these preparations are all "time" related to ensure readiness to perform properly in any certain position. A basketball player only has to be "good enough" to compete ad perform at the highest level of basketball.

My point was intended to not have to have a kid have to go to college (although that is where the best basketball apprenticeship will be) for that one year that is usually an academic fallacy. It just does not seem right to me that any of the tradesmen positions you (or I) mentioned would have to wait a year after leaving high school before they can start their apprenticeship program.

Since the NBA has a 'draft' system to enter the league (which is not part of becoming almost any other profession/job), I believe that every guy who wants to enter the NBA should be allowed to be drafted after leaving high school if he is at least 18 years of age (an adult).

As I wrote yesterday, there will not be any too many guys who will get drafted out of high school by the NBA, but they should still not have to "wait" a year to get started in their career if they are good enough.

Bob,

Way back in the day, if I had your 4 cents and could come up with only ONE more penny, I could have gotten a pack of Topps cards.

i don't know what to think.

 I mean from a physical standpoint how many 18 year old bodies are prepared for the NBA season and that level of competiveness?

 How many 18 year olds are mentally, emotionally and mature enough to deal with the NBA's lifestyle and the added perks that come with it (the fame and instant wealth?

  Being 18 is an odd age. And this isn't by any means a political statement, just thoughts that run through my head.

 An 18 year old can buy tabaco products, a product which when used has the capabilities to cause ones death, but they can't buy alcohol until they are 21. Does not make sense to me at all.

 An 18 year old  may volunteer to joined the armed forces (and at certain times even be forced into doing so) That same 18 year old might have a very difficult time buying certain firearms in some parts of the country. Again that does not make any sense to me at all.

 An 18 year old has the freedom of taking part in the electing of public officials  (one such official i heard numerous people a few years back claiming would, if elected start ww3) that same person who could conceivably have the deciding vote to potentially  elect the individual who might start ww3- may have a very hard time renting a car at enterprise.  That's really a head scratcher.

 I guess I don't like the idea of saying "no" to someone having the chance to come into life changing money (for most NBA players) instantly, especially when life is uncertian and the ability to earn that income could be lost at any time through health issues. On the other hand are they really prepared to deal with everything that will be thrown at them? Is the money the only thing that's important? Is it best to allow them their shot at the money and let them deal with the issues that come up- wishing them good luck?

 And for the team, say they do draft some 18 year old, how long are you waiting until that 18 year old becomes a useful and important part of your rotation? How many years into that rookie contract do you have to wait, spend time developing before they are useful? Is it really worth it?

dboss wrote:I do not think the NBA should be allowed to draft players that are still in HS.  I do think that once they graduate they should be draft eligible with an age requirement of 18 by the time the regular season begins.  

There should be an educational requirement of having graduated from HS or GDE equivalent.

I think we have to look at what is happening in other sports.  MLB has an age requirement of 18 years old unless you are an international player then you have to be only 17.  

They have been  15 year old professional tennis players out there.  

The NHL can draft a kid at 17 as long they turns 18 by Sept 15th.

I think there is a certain prospective about this that we are overlooking.  It is rare that a kid playing basketball or any other sport makes it to the professional level.   It can find a place in the much ado about nothing category. Looking at the NBA and not considering other professional sports lacks objectivity.

Yes it is rare but we are talking about kids that have the talent to play professional sports that are still in HS, NOT EVERY kid playing a sport in HS.
Please tell me the purpose of why you think they should have to have a HS diploma or GED equivalent?

Ktron wrote:

dboss wrote:I do not think the NBA should be allowed to draft players that are still in HS.  I do think that once they graduate they should be draft eligible with an age requirement of 18 by the time the regular season begins.  

There should be an educational requirement of having graduated from HS or GDE equivalent.

I think we have to look at what is happening in other sports.  MLB has an age requirement of 18 years old unless you are an international player then you have to be only 17.  

They have been  15 year old professional tennis players out there.  

The NHL can draft a kid at 17 as long they turns 18 by Sept 15th.

I think there is a certain prospective about this that we are overlooking.  It is rare that a kid playing basketball or any other sport makes it to the professional level.   It can find a place in the much ado about nothing category. Looking at the NBA and not considering other professional sports lacks objectivity.

Yes it is rare but we are talking about kids that have the talent to play professional sports that are still in HS, NOT EVERY kid playing a sport in HS.
Please tell me the purpose of why you think they should have to have a HS diploma or GED equivalent?

Most jobs require at least a HS diploma or a GED.

I do not think sports should be an exception.  Playing professionally  is still a job.

The exceptions most prevalent applicable to Kids working in the fast food industry.

dboss wrote:

Ktron wrote:

dboss wrote:I do not think the NBA should be allowed to draft players that are still in HS.  I do think that once they graduate they should be draft eligible with an age requirement of 18 by the time the regular season begins.  

There should be an educational requirement of having graduated from HS or GDE equivalent.

I think we have to look at what is happening in other sports.  MLB has an age requirement of 18 years old unless you are an international player then you have to be only 17.  

They have been  15 year old professional tennis players out there.  

The NHL can draft a kid at 17 as long they turns 18 by Sept 15th.

I think there is a certain prospective about this that we are overlooking.  It is rare that a kid playing basketball or any other sport makes it to the professional level.   It can find a place in the much ado about nothing category. Looking at the NBA and not considering other professional sports lacks objectivity.

Yes it is rare but we are talking about kids that have the talent to play professional sports that are still in HS, NOT EVERY kid playing a sport in HS.
Please tell me the purpose of why you think they should have to have a HS diploma or GED equivalent?

Most jobs require at least a HS diploma or a GED.

I do not think sports should be an exception.  Playing professionally  is still a job.

The exceptions most prevalent applicable to Kids working in the fast food industry.

‘Regulatorssss, Mount up’ !

We have seen many one and done guys get drafted and then disappear from the NBA. Some probably wish that they stayed in school.

There is no right or wrong answer. I can only look at my personal feelings about this and my own children.

dboss wrote:We have seen many one and done guys get drafted and then disappear from the NBA. Some probably wish that they stayed in school.

There is no right or wrong answer. I can only look at my personal feelings about this and my own children.

They played?

We're talking about very few people here. It seems like one per decade is good enough to play out of high-school. As was mentioned above, I don't want teams to be on players long before they are ready to play. What if you gave teams the right to draft players out of high-school, but if they didn't make the roster, they would lose the to be drafted again the next year. That would keep teams from gambling on them unless they were sure that they had that rare player.

dboss wrote:I do not think the NBA should be allowed to draft players that are still in HS.  I do think that once they graduate they should be draft eligible with an age requirement of 18 by the time the regular season begins.  

There should be an educational requirement of having graduated from HS or GDE equivalent.

I think we have to look at what is happening in other sports.  MLB has an age requirement of 18 years old unless you are an international player then you have to be only 17.  

They have been  15 year old professional tennis players out there.  

The NHL can draft a kid at 17 as long they turns 18 by Sept 15th.

I think there is a certain prospective about this that we are overlooking.  It is rare that a kid playing basketball or any other sport makes it to the professional level.   It can find a place in the much ado about nothing category. Looking at the NBA and not considering other professional sports lacks objectivity.

I agree with that in terms of what is best for the kid, both from an educational and maturity perspective.

From a game quality perspective, both MLB and the NHL have minor leagues. Players are often still years away from seeing the major leagues when drafted in those sports, and many who are drafted, even high picks, may not make it. Why? Because their skills, knowledge of the game, and bodies aren't ready at age 18. The number of modern MLB players who have hit the field before age 21 is very small, and a lot of star players are in their mid-20s before they make it out of the minors. 4 year college players often have a shorter path to the majors, and avoid the lower levels of the minors. Since the NBA hasn't historically used the G-League as a real minor league system, NBA teams don't have that option. They can draft a kid and have them go play overseas, but there isn't a clear 'career path' of enter the draft after HS, go to the minors, play well, get called up in a few years.

BaronV wrote:

dboss wrote:I do not think the NBA should be allowed to draft players that are still in HS.  I do think that once they graduate they should be draft eligible with an age requirement of 18 by the time the regular season begins.  

There should be an educational requirement of having graduated from HS or GDE equivalent.

I think we have to look at what is happening in other sports.  MLB has an age requirement of 18 years old unless you are an international player then you have to be only 17.  

They have been  15 year old professional tennis players out there.  

The NHL can draft a kid at 17 as long they turns 18 by Sept 15th.

I think there is a certain prospective about this that we are overlooking.  It is rare that a kid playing basketball or any other sport makes it to the professional level.   It can find a place in the much ado about nothing category. Looking at the NBA and not considering other professional sports lacks objectivity.

I agree with that in terms of what is best for the kid, both from an educational and maturity perspective.  

From a game quality perspective, both MLB and the NHL have minor leagues.  Players are often still years away from seeing the major leagues when drafted in those sports, and many who are drafted, even high picks, may not make it.  Why?  Because their skills, knowledge of the game, and bodies aren't ready at age 18.  The number of modern MLB players who have hit the field before age 21 is very small, and a lot of star players are in their mid-20s before they make it out of the minors.  4 year college players often have a shorter path to the majors, and avoid the lower levels of the minors.  Since the NBA hasn't historically used the G-League as a real minor league system, NBA teams don't have that option.  They can draft a kid and have them go play overseas, but there isn't a clear 'career path' of enter the draft after HS, go to the minors, play well, get called up in a few years.  

Very good points Baron

I think what we might see again is teams being able to draft players right out of HS.

Here is a trivia question.

What 4 players that came into the NBA right out of HS were all on the Celtics roster at the same time?

“What 4 players that came into the NBA right out of HS were all on the Celtics roster at the same time?”

Dboss that is a good trivia question! I can think of a roster with 3 but not 4. I’m going to ruminate on it a while more………

dboss wrote:

BaronV wrote:

dboss wrote:I do not think the NBA should be allowed to draft players that are still in HS.  I do think that once they graduate they should be draft eligible with an age requirement of 18 by the time the regular season begins.  

There should be an educational requirement of having graduated from HS or GDE equivalent.

I think we have to look at what is happening in other sports.  MLB has an age requirement of 18 years old unless you are an international player then you have to be only 17.  

They have been  15 year old professional tennis players out there.  

The NHL can draft a kid at 17 as long they turns 18 by Sept 15th.

I think there is a certain prospective about this that we are overlooking.  It is rare that a kid playing basketball or any other sport makes it to the professional level.   It can find a place in the much ado about nothing category. Looking at the NBA and not considering other professional sports lacks objectivity.

I agree with that in terms of what is best for the kid, both from an educational and maturity perspective.  

From a game quality perspective, both MLB and the NHL have minor leagues.  Players are often still years away from seeing the major leagues when drafted in those sports, and many who are drafted, even high picks, may not make it.  Why?  Because their skills, knowledge of the game, and bodies aren't ready at age 18.  The number of modern MLB players who have hit the field before age 21 is very small, and a lot of star players are in their mid-20s before they make it out of the minors.  4 year college players often have a shorter path to the majors, and avoid the lower levels of the minors.  Since the NBA hasn't historically used the G-League as a real minor league system, NBA teams don't have that option.  They can draft a kid and have them go play overseas, but there isn't a clear 'career path' of enter the draft after HS, go to the minors, play well, get called up in a few years.  

Very good points Baron

I think what we might see again is teams being able to draft players right out of HS.

Here is a trivia question.

What 4 players that came into the NBA right out of HS were all on the Celtics roster at the same time?

2006-7
Gerald Green
Perk
Al Jefferson
Sebastian Telfair

BaronV wrote:

dboss wrote:

BaronV wrote:

dboss wrote:I do not think the NBA should be allowed to draft players that are still in HS.  I do think that once they graduate they should be draft eligible with an age requirement of 18 by the time the regular season begins.  

There should be an educational requirement of having graduated from HS or GDE equivalent.

I think we have to look at what is happening in other sports.  MLB has an age requirement of 18 years old unless you are an international player then you have to be only 17.  

They have been  15 year old professional tennis players out there.  

The NHL can draft a kid at 17 as long they turns 18 by Sept 15th.

I think there is a certain prospective about this that we are overlooking.  It is rare that a kid playing basketball or any other sport makes it to the professional level.   It can find a place in the much ado about nothing category. Looking at the NBA and not considering other professional sports lacks objectivity.

I agree with that in terms of what is best for the kid, both from an educational and maturity perspective.  

From a game quality perspective, both MLB and the NHL have minor leagues.  Players are often still years away from seeing the major leagues when drafted in those sports, and many who are drafted, even high picks, may not make it.  Why?  Because their skills, knowledge of the game, and bodies aren't ready at age 18.  The number of modern MLB players who have hit the field before age 21 is very small, and a lot of star players are in their mid-20s before they make it out of the minors.  4 year college players often have a shorter path to the majors, and avoid the lower levels of the minors.  Since the NBA hasn't historically used the G-League as a real minor league system, NBA teams don't have that option.  They can draft a kid and have them go play overseas, but there isn't a clear 'career path' of enter the draft after HS, go to the minors, play well, get called up in a few years.  

Very good points Baron

I think what we might see again is teams being able to draft players right out of HS.

Here is a trivia question.

What 4 players that came into the NBA right out of HS were all on the Celtics roster at the same time?

2006-7
Gerald Green
Perk
Al Jefferson
Sebastian Telfair

BINGO!