From the article: The NBA Age Limit
The NBA's collective bargaining agreement, put in place before the 2005-06 season, specifically prohibits players younger than 19 -- in other words, high schoolers -- from entering the NBA draft. It's been three years since, and we don't yet have a verdict: has the age limit been a positive force for basketball or a negative? What's your take? What's Your Take?
Insult to Higher Education
- This rule only affects the small percentage of high school players who have the talent and physical gifts to jump to the NBA. Will these players be better prepared for NBA basketball after a year in college? No. If anything, a year in college may make them more mature. I felt more mature after my freshman year in college. But mature enough to get a job and live responsibly on my own? Certainly not. In the end, an athlete who has the physical maturity and talent to go from high school to the NBA is only entering college for a year on a technicality, because they have to. It sets the wrong precedent for the purpose of college and is an insult to students who attend college for an education. However, maybe this rule fits right in with the sentiment of a majority of students. Just like these NBA-ready athletes who go to school for one year, many young adults only go to college because they "have to." Yet, most realize the value of an education by their third year, not their first.
- —Guest Jon M.
its stupid
- its stupid if you are good enough they should let you go
- —Guest trevin jacobsen
BULL!!!!
- this is one of the worst rules in the basketball world. if a kid flames out after eaching the nba straight out of high school do you really think college wouldve fixed him? some say yes but i say NO. plenty of college players flame out in the NBA or dont even get there because they flamed out in the college years. if the kid decides to "jump" let him he may fly or he might hit rock bottom what do we really care? i think the best high school prospect that is capable of playing in the NBA is better then the best prospect coming out of college as a senior because he has an extra 4 or 5 years to develop into an NBA player.
- —Guest alex howe
Baseball or Hockey
- In baseball, if you start college, you're not eligible for the draft until after your junior season. In the NHL, teams keep rights of the players they've drafted, even if they opt to go to school for a year or two. Either of those systems would make more sense than what the NBA does.
- —Guest Frank
Let the Market Decide
- It seems crazy to force a LeBron James or a Dwight Howard to defer his millions for a year because NBA general managers don't trust themselves when looking to draft 18-year-olds. This rule, as written, makes no sense.
- —Guest Big Aristotle
