OttoinGrotto
2023-24 Iggy Award Most 3 Pointers Made
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- Aug 26, 2011
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I keep seeing on the board re: discussion of McCullough and other early entries that a lot of people think the NBA should switch to a baseball model where players are eligible to be drafted out of highschool, or after three years. I'm really interested in knowing why people think that's the best way. I think the baseball draft is the least sensical of all of the ways current major US sports draft.
First off, you never see a player go from highschool to MLB the following year. It just doesn't happen (queue someone mentioning the one player in the last decade that has). There's no argument to be made that those players are "ready" to be major leaguers. All drafting them at that point does in terms of preparation is switch the responsibility on player development from the college game to the minor league system. For the player it's cool because they can start cashin' dem checks, so that's good. Other than that though, these players are such a far cry from what they're going to be down the road, what's the point of drafting them that young? So you can get them in your own system and oversee their development? OK, I guess.
Second, not a lot of people earn a 4 year degree in 3 years. If you care about student-athletes, three years is a cruel joke. They've earned enough credits to see the light at the end of the tunnel and earn a degree, supposedly the purpose behind this whole thing, and then leave with just a little bit to go. Plus, typically the end of their program of study will involve some kind of capstone or at least have the final courses rely to some degree on all of the knowledge they've been building in their major, meaning if they go back at a later date because they die on the vine as minor leaguers, finishing up might be pretty difficult. Three years just seems so stupid. Why not 4 and at least have a chance for the student-athlete to earn their degree without the temptation of abandoning something they've been working for?
In conclusion, the baseball draft is dumb. Like, really, really dumb. But I'm opening to listening to why people think it makes sense and understand why it's the best.
First off, you never see a player go from highschool to MLB the following year. It just doesn't happen (queue someone mentioning the one player in the last decade that has). There's no argument to be made that those players are "ready" to be major leaguers. All drafting them at that point does in terms of preparation is switch the responsibility on player development from the college game to the minor league system. For the player it's cool because they can start cashin' dem checks, so that's good. Other than that though, these players are such a far cry from what they're going to be down the road, what's the point of drafting them that young? So you can get them in your own system and oversee their development? OK, I guess.
Second, not a lot of people earn a 4 year degree in 3 years. If you care about student-athletes, three years is a cruel joke. They've earned enough credits to see the light at the end of the tunnel and earn a degree, supposedly the purpose behind this whole thing, and then leave with just a little bit to go. Plus, typically the end of their program of study will involve some kind of capstone or at least have the final courses rely to some degree on all of the knowledge they've been building in their major, meaning if they go back at a later date because they die on the vine as minor leaguers, finishing up might be pretty difficult. Three years just seems so stupid. Why not 4 and at least have a chance for the student-athlete to earn their degree without the temptation of abandoning something they've been working for?
In conclusion, the baseball draft is dumb. Like, really, really dumb. But I'm opening to listening to why people think it makes sense and understand why it's the best.
