Nba One and Done

One and Done

I am a huge college and NBA basketball fan like millions of other Americans. I love to watch my favorite college players go to the NBA and follow their career. The NBA has allowed high school basketball players to choose if they want to go directly to the NBA or go to college since 1971. In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s it became more common for high school players like Lebron James, Kevin Garnett , and many other players choose to skip college and go directly into the NBA. Many people wanted a change in the rule, because they though the teenage players were too young, immature, emotionally and physically not ready to be in the NBA. In 2005, the NBA commissioner David Stern changed the rule and made it mandatory for US born high school players to be at least nineteen years old or one year removed from high school before entering the NBA draft. The rule basically raised the age limit to enter the NBA the rule would become known as the “one and done rule”. The rule change has had many positive and negative effects on the sport of basketball, colleges, coaches and players and become controversial. The positive effects for the NBA are that the extra year gives teams more time to scout players and allows the NCAA to market the players for the NBA. The players have an extra year to prepare for the NBA, become more mature, emotionally ready, and physically stronger. High school players like Brad Mullens of Ohio State Buckeyes wanted to go pro out of high school but could not because of the rule. Brad Mullens is glad he went to Ohio State instead and he likes the rule because it gives kids a chance to mature. A positive effect for colleges is that star players like Derrick Rose and Greg Oden have to go to college for one year and this helps schools make a lot of money, because star players bring in more television, merchandising, and attendance income. The fans like the rule because they get to see their favorite players play in college and not sit the bench in the NBA. The “one and done” rule also has many negative effects on players and colleges. Some colleges worry about academics suffering because of the “one and done players“. Some players know that they are only going to school for one year and do not care about their grades. Players only need six credit hours in the fall semester to maintain eligibility and can drop out after the basketball season is over. Ohio State lost two scholarships because two “one and done “players went to enter the NBA draft and did not drop their classes early enough. If the players had dropped the classes by the April 15 deadline, Ohio State would not have lost any scholarships.
Brandon Jennings, an NBA point guard, went to Europe to play basketball because of the rule would not let him go to the NBA. Colleges could lose millions if more star players like Brandon Jennings go to Europe, where they could make millions instead of going to college. Many people feel the rule is not fair and this has made the rule controversial. Many players, coaches, and fans think it is unconstitutional for players not to have the right to make a living. If an 18- year old is able to fight in Iraq, they should be able to play in the NBA. Many college basketball coaches like Kansas's Bill Self and Michigan States head coach Tom Izzo think it is unfair that the players do not have the right to choose. The rule has had an effect on recruiting because players are able to leave after just one year and these leaving holes in rosters. As you can clearly, see the NBA’s controversial decision to raise the age limit has had many positive and negative effects on the NBA, colleges and players. The NBA is currently going thought a lockout and this is one of the last issues they are discussing. The rule might change and this will have many new effects for players, colleges, coaches, and the NBA.