Drain the Swamp

[SWC75]

I fully agree with this SI article:
Want to help college hoops, NBA? Lift the age limit

Get rid of the minimum age limit and let kids who want to right to the pros do so. The popularity of college sports won't go away: it's based on the small markets college teams represent. Forcing players to go to college when they don't want to contributors to the recruit black market and increases the likelihood of academic and disciplinary problems. We'd have to make do with a Rakeem Christmas rather than a Carmelo Anthony but so would everybody else.

 

[JrodCuse]

Actually Carmelo could have gone straight to NBA if he wanted to. He was in the same class as Lebron and Lebron went straight to the pros. That rule wasn't brought in effect until either the next year or a few after that.

 

[alphaorange]

Actually Carmelo could have gone straight to NBA if he wanted to. He was in the same class as Lebron and Lebron went straight to the pros. That rule wasn't brought in effect until either the next year or a few after that.

Not correct. Melo was a year ahead of James. That's why both were in the same draft class. James after HS and Melo after a year at SU.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Lift the age limit and turn the revenue sports side of colleges into sports academies like the pros run in Europe and Latin/South America. Turn the lights on and roaches scatter.

 

[RandygoCuse]

I think the NBA would argue that the league is stronger by making players wait a year. I don't think they care if they develop in college or overseas, but they feel that the players are that much better coming in.

 

[cuseinseattle]

I read the title and I thought this was an article about getting rid of the NCAA

 

[JrodCuse]

Not correct. Melo was a year ahead of James. That's why both were in the same draft class. James after HS and Melo after a year at SU.

Correct, but he could have gone directly to the NBA in 2002 just like Lebron did in 2003. The NBA didn't make a special allowance for Lebron. The rule wasn't put in effect yet. So technically Melo being a top 3 player in the 2002 recruiting rankings could have went straight to the NBA if his little heart so desired. The one-and-done rule didn't go in effect until 2005.

 

[jncuse]

Why can the NHL draft HS School aged players, who have an agent, and those same high school players can then go play in the NCAA on scholarship if they choose.

But how dare a basketball player be permitted the same right or opportunity. Why would a basketball player who goes undrafted or does not go in the first round, not be allowed into the NCAA?

Just make all players eligible at 18, and then give them the choice what they want to do.

 

[alphaorange]

Correct, but he could have gone directly to the NBA in 2002 just like Lebron did in 2003. The NBA didn't make a special allowance for Lebron. The rule wasn't put in effect yet. So technically Melo being a top 3 player in the 2002 recruiting rankings could have went straight to the NBA if his little heart so desired. The one-and-done rule didn't go in effect until 2005.

True, and that may be what you meant, but it wasn't what you wrote. All good.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Why can the NHL draft HS School aged players, who have an agent, and those same high school players can then go play in the NCAA on scholarship if they choose.

But how dare a basketball player be permitted the same right or opportunity. Why would a basketball player who goes undrafted or does not go in the first round, not be allowed into the NCAA?

Just make all players eligible at 18, and then give them the choice what they want to do.

Seems like a black and white issue to me, covered in green.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Why can the NHL draft HS School aged players, who have an agent, and those same high school players can then go play in the NCAA on scholarship if they choose.

But how dare a basketball player be permitted the same right or opportunity. Why would a basketball player who goes undrafted or does not go in the first round, not be allowed into the NCAA?

Just make all players eligible at 18, and then give them the choice what they want to do.

Because there is only a fraction of the $$$ in hockey that there is in basketball. Hockey isn't a cash cow. If it was, you better believe the NCAA would find a way to get their cut and screw the players.

 

[longtimefan]

I think the NBA would argue that the league is stronger by making players wait a year. I don't think they care if they develop in college or overseas, but they feel that the players are that much better coming in.

The NBA doesn't care about player development in college. They just want that extra year to scout guys in the NCAA who are playing against comparable talent. They got sick of paying big bucks to "prospects" who flamed out.

 

[SWC75]

The NBA doesn't care about player development in college. They just want that extra year to scout guys in the NCAA who are playing against comparable talent. They got sick of paying big bucks to "prospects" who flamed out.

They do it anyway.

 

[longtimefan]

They do it anyway.

View attachment 111905

That was an extraordinary year. There was really no one who seemed deserving of being the first pick. Although, there were certainly guys drafted further down the list who turned out much better than Bennett.

 

[Dave85]

I fully agree with this SI article:
Want to help college hoops, NBA? Lift the age limit

Get rid of the minimum age limit and let kids who want to right to the pros do so. The popularity of college sports won't go away: it's based on the small markets college teams represent. Forcing players to go to college when they don't want to contributors to the recruit black market and increases the likelihood of academic and disciplinary problems. We'd have to make do with a Rakeem Christmas rather than a Carmelo Anthony but so would everybody else.

There is no easy solution here. I think we need to have a clear set of laws governing college basketball. And then we need real law enforcement making sure the laws are not broken. I think we should assume the absolute very worst with regards to human nature and people's propensity to cheat. Just accept cheating is rampant. Don't be surprise by how immoral people can be. Just assume people are the absolute lowest immoral creatures possible. And then have law enforcement with policies and protocols to ensure integrity of the policing force while making sure natural competitive human behavior is kept in check.

 

[Hoo's That]

Why can the NHL draft HS School aged players, who have an agent, and those same high school players can then go play in the NCAA on scholarship if they choose.

But how dare a basketball player be permitted the same right or opportunity. Why would a basketball player who goes undrafted or does not go in the first round, not be allowed into the NCAA?

Just make all players eligible at 18, and then give them the choice what they want to do.

I don't know how to link it because I'm on an iPad, but according to a 2012 NYT column, the difference is those hockey "agents" aren't paid by the players and the players haven't signed a contract with the "agent". It's similar to the evaluators/advisors who tell bball players whether they're good enough to be drafted or need to stay in school for another year. The column did say that the hockey advisors do so with the unwritten expectation the player will sign on with them later.