Time to re-examine the one-and-done rule?

[IthacaMatt]

Interesting article from ESPN. College basketball attendance has been trending down for the last 8 years. There is more parity and fewer truly "great" teams. Personally, I think that the player turnover is getting excessive, making it hard to know the players on the teams from year to year. Loss of continuity makes it hard for fans to care as much.

Maybe it's time for the NCAA to re-examine the one-and-done rule. Let kids declare for the draft right out of HS again, but if they go to college, make them stay 3 years, like baseball does, and maybe we'll see the return of college basketball as a great sport for the fans.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14640159/the-floor-this-parity-bad-basketball

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Interesting article from ESPN. College basketball attendance has been trending down for the last 8 years. There is more parity and fewer truly "great" teams. Personally, I think that the player turnover is getting excessive, making it hard to know the players on the teams from year to year. Loss of continuity makes it hard for fans to care as much.

Maybe it's time for the NCAA to re-examine the one-and-done rule. Let kids declare for the draft right out of HS again, but if they go to college, make them stay 3 years, like baseball does, and maybe we'll see the return of college basketball as a great sport for the fans.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14640159/the-floor-this-parity-bad-basketball

Love the thought, but isn't this on the NBA, and not the NCAA? They are the ones who set the rules.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Love the thought, but isn't this on the NBA, and not the NCAA? They are the ones who set the rules.

Well, on the one hand it's the NBA that has to agree, yes, but on the other hand, part of the problem is how much AAU ball has grown over the past 1o-15 years, and the effect that's having on the lack of fundamentals instruction for the players.

Kobe Bryant weighs in on how the AAU circuit is harming the game from the other end - kids who have no fundamentals and are not taught (or encouraged) to play team ball. It's all about highlighting their own skills. AAU ball has become the ultimate skills showcase. It's not how to play basketball.

So we wind up with super-pampered kids who think they are ready for the NBA and that college is like serving time before the go make a living. From either end, it hurts the college game. For all the talk about using the rules adjustments to make the game easier on the eye, it's still hard to watch a lot of games unless you have a rooting or a betting interest in one of the teams.

http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles...-i-think-its-absolutely-horrible-for-the-game

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Well, on the one hand it's the NBA that has to agree, yes, but on the other hand, part of the problem is how much AAU ball has grown over the past 1o-15 years, and the effect that's having on the lack of fundamentals instruction for the players.

Kobe Bryant weighs in on how the AAU circuit is harming the game from the other end - kids who have no fundamentals and are not taught (or encouraged) to play team ball. It's all about highlighting their own skills. AAU ball has become the ultimate skills showcase. It's not how to play basketball.

http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles...-i-think-its-absolutely-horrible-for-the-game

Totally agree about this as well. But how does that relate to making kids stay in college? Do you think they will get more fundamentally sound if they play another year or two in college? I guess I could see that, but I do wonder how much "fundamental" training these guys get.

 

[Fly Rodder]

Make them? Who are you (or I, or anyone else) to say who should go to college and who shouldn't when they can get paid for their abilities and skills? Because you want to watch your favorite team win?

This is on the NBA. The college are profiting, immensely, from this charade of amateur athletics. They want more fundamentally sound players? Teach them. Get rid of the one and done rule and switch to what baseball and hockey do. Professional level athletes shouldn't be forced to play for free.

 

[Millhouse]

Interesting article from ESPN. College basketball attendance has been trending down for the last 8 years. There is more parity and fewer truly "great" teams. Personally, I think that the player turnover is getting excessive, making it hard to know the players on the teams from year to year. Loss of continuity makes it hard for fans to care as much.

Maybe it's time for the NCAA to re-examine the one-and-done rule. Let kids declare for the draft right out of HS again, but if they go to college, make them stay 3 years, like baseball does, and maybe we'll see the return of college basketball as a great sport for the fans.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14640159/the-floor-this-parity-bad-basketball

hard to identify the causes. every game being on TV, TV paying big money for games at weird times. if there weren't big tv money, they might get better attendance scheduling the way the AHL does, putting almost every game on the weekend

 

[Dave85]

Interesting article from ESPN. College basketball attendance has been trending down for the last 8 years. There is more parity and fewer truly "great" teams. Personally, I think that the player turnover is getting excessive, making it hard to know the players on the teams from year to year. Loss of continuity makes it hard for fans to care as much.

Maybe it's time for the NCAA to re-examine the one-and-done rule. Let kids declare for the draft right out of HS again, but if they go to college, make them stay 3 years, like baseball does, and maybe we'll see the return of college basketball as a great sport for the fans.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14640159/the-floor-this-parity-bad-basketball

I would be happy with two years.

Maybe even allow Junior and Senior players who qualify to become University employees too and get some of that NCAA tournament billions floating around (whoops, scratch that because it would make too much sense).

 

[IthacaMatt]

Totally agree about this as well. But how does that relate to making kids stay in college? Do you think they will get more fundamentally sound if they play another year or two in college? I guess I could see that, but I do wonder how much "fundamental" training these guys get.

Actually, yes, I do. I also think that most kids can get their degree in 3 years, since most scholarship athletes also take summer sessions. I see your point about fundamentals training - like JB said the other day about Roberson "They teach you about over-the-back in sixth grade." - so maybe there is a limit, but I think the coaching in college is probably better than it is in high school or the AAU, so either a kid is an elite talent who can go straight to the league, or else the kid gets a real shot at a degree (not just one year on campus), and the coaches and fans get a little more continuity in their rosters.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Make them? Who are you (or I, or anyone else) to say who should go to college and who shouldn't when they can get paid for their abilities and skills? Because you want to watch your favorite team win?

This is on the NBA. The college are profiting, immensely, from this charade of amateur athletics. They want more fundamentally sound players? Teach them. Get rid of the one and done rule and switch to what baseball and hockey do. Professional level athletes shouldn't be forced to play for free.

Well, they would have a choice, just like the baseball draft. Either go pro out of high school, or if you enroll in college, you aren't eligible for the draft until after your junior year. It hasn't hurt baseball. It would probably improve the product for both the NBA and the NCAA.

 

[SU94]

Well, they would have a choice, just like the baseball draft. Either go pro out of high school, or if you enroll in college, you aren't eligible for the draft until after your junior year. It hasn't hurt baseball. It would probably improve the product for both the NBA and the NCAA.

I tend to agree. It works very well in baseball. Let's go for it.

My only hesitation is that, let's say that on average, 10 top-tier kids go pro after HS every year, that means that in any given year, 40 top talents immediately "graduate" to the pro ranks (NBA, D-League, CBA or Europe). By definition, that's a significant portion of upper-crust talent that never plays college hoops. Will that void of talent hinder the overall appeal of college hoops as we know it? Will the program continuity gained be enough to offset that talent void? That's the 64K question!

 

[Cusefan0307]

Well, they would have a choice, just like the baseball draft. Either go pro out of high school, or if you enroll in college, you aren't eligible for the draft until after your junior year. It hasn't hurt baseball. It would probably improve the product for both the NBA and the NCAA.

I like the concept, the problem is any new rule has to be approved by the players association. I wonder if they would view that as "too risky" to prospective future pros.

FWIW Adam Silver wants a two year rule, but again that could automatically take two years of wages away from said talented player.

 

[HOFCeluck]

If a kid thinks he's talented enough, he should be able to declare any time, high school through college.

 

[Shermthegeneral]

This has been killing the pro and college game for years now! The lack of a true minor league has created a log jam of young unproven "TALENT" that is locked in for 3 years making millions and taking a roster spot of a player that is probably a much better player today but doesn't have the upside.

 

[HOFCeluck]

This has been killing the pro and college game for years now!

It's definitely made the college game unwatchable. But the NBA is doing better than ever.

 

[Cusefan0307]

This has been killing the pro and college game for years now! The lack of a true minor league has created a log jam of young unproven "TALENT" that is locked in for 3 years making millions and taking a roster spot of a player that is probably a much better player today but doesn't have the upside.

The NBA used to have 12 Roster spots. Now they have 15 and 3 guys are inactive on game day. I actually think it's sped up the amount of guys leaving early. This changed during the last CBA. More roster spots=more guys leaving early.

 

[reedny]

The 1/done rule is governed by Article 10 of the NBA CBA. For that to be changed significantly, there would have to be a consensus among various financial stakeholders that the current system is broken. Those stakeholders are the NBA, the player's association, the NCAA and don't forget the garish media (that invests and makes millions under the current system).

I'll let others comment on the NBA, the player's association and the media. But I think I can say with confidence that, under Emmert's "leadership", the NCAA's probably not going to budge any time soon. They -- and a few complicit "college" programs with huge media contracts -- are making too much money to promote reforms, despite their rhetoric ( http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...lipari-kentucky-wildcats-oppose-one-done-rule )

Here are the problems I see with the current system:

1. deterioration in the quality of team play caused by annual exodus of elite players (lack of continuity; emphasis on one-on-one show-casing instead of team ball, etc);
2. lack of fundamentals because of limited (or no) college experience resulting in too many NBA washouts;
3. declining ratings and attendance;
4. "Forcing" a few NBA-ready kids into a college format for which they may not be suitable candidates;
5. Systemic NCAA fraud in which one-and-done players are allowed to pose as "student-athletes" at several prominent semi-professional programs (the NCAA deliberately encourages this with the way the GSR is structured, by refusing to address academic legitimacy and by requiring only 6 credits in "any" subject for the first semester to trigger second-semester eligibility).

I think the OP's 3 year (baseball) rule seems best. But there's also an argument to be made for a 2 year rule.
http://www.cheatsheet.com/sports/he...he-ncaas-one-and-done-problem.html/?a=viewall

 

[IthacaMatt]

I tend to agree. It works very well in baseball. Let's go for it.

My only hesitation is that, let's say that on average, 10 top-tier kids go pro after HS every year, that means that in any given year, 40 top talents immediately "graduate" to the pro ranks (NBA, D-League, CBA or Europe). By definition, that's a significant portion of upper-crust talent that never plays college hoops. Will that void of talent hinder the overall appeal of college hoops as we know it? Will the program continuity gained be enough to offset that talent void? That's the 64K question!

Well, the rule was in effect back in the 90s, and Kobe was chosen in the 1996 draft. That Kentucky team that we met in the Finals that year hadn't been hurt too badly by the ability of elite talent to go straight into the draft. I believe they had 9 future NBA players on that team!

 

[Briancuse]

If a kid thinks he's talented enough, he should be able to declare any time, high school through college.

I agree 100 percent, the problem is there are kids who aren't talented enough, who think they are, and they listen to the wrong people and make huge mistakes.

 

[Briancuse]

Well, they would have a choice, just like the baseball draft. Either go pro out of high school, or if you enroll in college, you aren't eligible for the draft until after your junior year. It hasn't hurt baseball. It would probably improve the product for both the NBA and the NCAA.

I would love to see the baseball rule be put into place.

 

[Shark58]

IF the powers that be are going to go the "Pro or 2 or 3 year college min" route then there are a couple of additional mechanisms that prob need to be put in place, like an NBA team being able to draft an underclassman and retain his rights, that drafted underclassman being able to collect money from his pro team (even if its put in a trust until he jumps) plus and expanded and "real" NBA minor league system.

 

[SBU72]

The only thing that the NCAA could do is to allow players who don't get drafted to return to school even if they have signed with an agent. Even if they do get drafted but choose not to go pro for what ever reason. (considering only 2 rounds, highly doubtful) Also allow outside financing of trips to the NBA pre-draft camps. This would get the kids better evaluation of their talents. Heck, a high school kids can get drafted by MLB after attending various team workouts and not have effect their amateur standing.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

The job of the players union is to take care of the interests of its current members, not future members. They'd be happier with the high school guys being in college longer.

 

[two3zone]

This has been killing the pro and college game for years now! The lack of a true minor league has created a log jam of young unproven "TALENT" that is locked in for 3 years making millions and taking a roster spot of a player that is probably a much better player today but doesn't have the upside.

The NBA is being killed? The NBA was bad for a period but has been doing great for awhile now. I'm wondering when this old mindset of the NBA is going to go away...

 

[otisco]

It's definitely made the college game unwatchable. But the NBA is doing better than ever.

NBA revenues are sky high, true, but the quality of basketball is not commensurate with increased cashflow. The quality of professional basketball as a whole has been diluted just like the college game. The system needs to be rejiggered or else the quality on both levels will continue to decline.

 

[MikeSU02]

First, the only concern that the NBA needs to have regarding the college game is that there is a pipeline until the D League is developed and they can start allowing the HS kids to go directly to the D League.

Extended rosters, two way contracts, an additional round of the NBA draft and increased D Leage salaries are all coming. The D League will be competitive so that players aren't going to Europe or China instead of staying here where it's easier to monitor performance and growth.

The NBA game has never been this rich with talent and they aren't looking back. 450 roster spots for a global pool of talent.

The NBA just tripled its TV deal.

One and done, two and done, it's all short-term.

Their will be some entrance mechanism for the top kids to circumvent college. And the kids that are late bloomers, will be de facto one and done or two and done anyway.

The NBA doesn't need to worry about Joe Syracuse Fan.