What if no one went pro

[Rex Hudler]

I hate when kids jump early. I agree some guys are ready for it. But it just seems like the money is pulling these kids out early, whether they are ready or not. I'm biased as hell because i love the NCAA and hate the NBA, so i want everyone to stay. But i guess people have to do what's right for them.

 

I don't like it either, but I have no problem with a guy leaving after his junior year.

 

Here is what I think the NBA should do in a perfect world according to Rex....

 

1. Develop a farm system similar to baseball's. Allow kids to be drafted directly out of HS, and place them on farm teams. This system could be as small as 15 teams with two NBA teams splitting the players on each 14 to 16-man roster.

 

2. Do not allow a player to be called up until he is at least 20 (a possible exception could be made if they chose to expand their roster in the final month of the season, but I don't think they would want to).

 

3. Do not allow any collegiate players (four year schools) to enter the draft until they have completed three seasons after HS. Junior College players would be eligible after 2 seasons.

 

4. Pay the players in the farm system, but hold major bonuses until they reach the NBA. There is no guarantee they will make it, just like baseball's system.

 

-- This would allow the NBA to develop some of their own players outside of their 15-man roster and retain their rights while doing so.

-- It will allow some kids who have no business attending college an alternative.

-- It will keep the colleges from having to deal with the one and done situations.

-- It will allow the NBA to develop those kids personally as well as their hoops skills.

-- It will take some talented players from the college ranks, but would not hurt the game overall. In some ways it will help because the players that do stay will have to stay for three years.

 

The NBA draft would likely have to be extended. Allow all HS players to be drafted and those that do not sign may retain their college eligibility. They can limit the draft however best fits their needs, to help control the number of players they take on.

 

I am sure the system could use some tweaking, but if you think about it, it could work. Current NBA players would have a little better job security. Future NBA players would be more ready to step in and contribute rather than having to learn on the bench for 2-3 years. The only people who would be negatively affected would be the rare players such as LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant. Even guys like Jermaine O'Neal, if I recall correctly, played sparingly for at least a year or two.

[Rex Hudler]

In the FWIW department, the NBA is considering proposing a similar minor league system in the upcoming collective bargaining.....

[Rex Hudler]

The Tar Heels lost only three games all year – all to the mighty, undefeated Duke Blue Devils – and enter as 14-point favorites over the Badgers. Wisconsin slows the game down and neither team gets into an offensive rhythm, as it's tied 16-16 at halftime. Carolina scoots out to a second-half lead, but after Raymond Felton fouls out, Devin Harris starts heating up and the Badgers take a 39-38 lead. Sean May's last-second shot rims out and the Badgers head to the Elite Eight. After the game, Roy Williams resigns to take over the head coaching job at T.C. Robertson High School in Asheville, N.C., saying, "I've always wanted to coach at the school I graduated from."

 

That's funny!!!!

[Palehosefan]

A minor league system would horribly dilute the college game. Only the most ardent student athletes would attend college. Its a tough option for alot of them to choose, study and attend classes sometimes during the week, or get 35-40k a year to play basketball and improve until being drafted.

 

I like the current system, just imploy a system where they have to attend 2 years of college. Then the type that actually want a degree would be somewhat close to it and could return during summers. Others could mature a little in college and move on to whatever they want to try. Those that have no business being in college can use other routes like the NBDL and overseas basketball. You could even add a free agency for the NBDL players, teams can buy their rights and have them allocated into the NBDL like the NFL does with European players. Instead of buying a 10 day contract from players, they can buy up to 2 years or something of a contract and call them up whenever they deem them ready.

 

I think both ways would work, I just don't want to see the college game devoid of talent, like I believe it would be. Its a very tough decision.

[ZoomSlowik]

I disagree with the proposed rule that one would have to be 20 years old to play on the NBA roster. That seems like a needless hindrance to the exceptional players like Lebron, Stoudemire, and Howard. I think when to call them up needs to be left up to the team. I see no reason to keep them on the minor league team if the decision makers on the big club feel that they are ready.

 

I don't think the minor league system would totally sap the college game. It would certainly hurt in the first few years as teams adjust to the change, but eventually college teams should adapt. I doubt that too many talented players would choose the minor leagues over college, assuming of course that they can get in. There will still be a major draw to go the big time schools. One major one is access to the coaches. Presumably the NBA head coaches wouldn't have much to do with the minor league teams; more likely one of the assistants would deal with the team. There would be a much better opportunity to develop with the ability to spend time with some of the great college coaches. Baseball has had this setup for some time, and many good players still go to school. I believe that not as many would go the minor league route in basketball however because college basketball draws a lot more attention and coverage than college baseball.

 

One question I have is if a 20 year age limit is imposed on the draft and the minor league is created with the intent to create an option for those that can't make it in college, how are they going to determine what team owns the rights to those players? It seems kind of silly because the easiest way is a draft. Creating a seperate draft seems like needless work, and other options like free agency are undesireable.

Edited March 31, 2005 by ZoomSlowik

[Chisoxfn]

I still say. Either a player has to play in college for 2 years or they go pro out of high school.

 

Yes it would mean more high schoolers go in, but it would also ensure that when someone goes to college they are at least there for 2 seasons.

 

Still, I don't necessarily have too much of a problem with the current policy. I think it would be an atrocity to hold back highschoolers.

 

Lebron, Amare, Dwight Howard have all shown the past year and a half that they are very capable making the jump straight and frankly too many others have as well. I know there are tons of failures, but this guys deserve to play as long as an NBA team is willing to pick them up.

[whitesoxfan99]

I think it would be an atrocity to hold back highschoolers.

 

Lebron, Amare, Dwight Howard have all shown the past year and a half that they are very capable making the jump straight and frankly too many others have as well.  I know there are tons of failures, but this guys deserve to play as long as an NBA team is willing to pick them up.

 

I agree. And I guess I don't understand how players lose jobs. It seems to me that you have the same number of players drafted whether or not you have early entries so how are there fewer jobs if guys are allowed to leave earlier. Besides, there is really no reason to put this rule in. HS basketball players have proven they are capable of making the jump to the NBA. This year alone you have Josh Smith, JR Smith, and Dwight Howard all making impacts for their team.

 

And hypothetically, had LeBron had gone to college for 4 years it would have cost him well over 100 million dollars. Lets say he plays till he is 38 regardless of when he leaves. He would lose 4 years of the maximum salary ~60 mil. Then 4 years of endorsments (which are at least 20 for him I believe) and he loses close to $150 million dollars. I know everyone here says that they would take less money if they were athletes but if anyone here says they would turn down over $100 million dollars to go to college they are either a liar or stupid.

Edited March 31, 2005 by whitesoxfan99

[Rex Hudler]

A minor league system would horribly dilute the college game. Only the most ardent student athletes would attend college. Its a tough option for alot of them to choose, study and attend classes sometimes during the week, or get 35-40k a year to play basketball and improve until being drafted.

 

I like the current system, just imploy a system where they have to attend 2 years of college. Then the type that actually want a degree would be somewhat close to it and could return during summers. Others could mature a little in college and move on to whatever they want to try. Those that have no business being in college can use other routes like the NBDL and overseas basketball. You could even add a free agency for the NBDL players, teams can buy their rights and have them allocated into the NBDL like the NFL does with European players. Instead of buying a 10 day contract from players, they can buy up to 2 years or something of a contract and call them up whenever they deem them ready.

 

I think both ways would work, I just don't want to see the college game devoid of talent, like I believe it would be. Its a very tough decision.

 

I disagree. Especially if they kept it small and kept it to only 7 or 8 players per NBA team as proposed.

 

The Minor League system hasn't hurt college baseball (yes, I know they are different sports). Weather hurts the popularity of college baseball more than anything. In warm weather areas, college baseball is huge. The game is still extremely competitive.

 

I just think that if a player enters a four year school, he should be obligated to stay for three years. I think the college game could actually become stronger in that situation. As much as I love the college game, I hate the fact that some kids get into schools that never would otherwise and stay only one or two years, with one foot out the door the whole time. Even though those players are very talented, I think college basketball would be stronger in the long run either without them or with them in school for a minimum of three years.

 

Think about it..... initially you would see a change in talent (but not competitiveness nor excitement). But after half the kids that skip college to go the NBA developmental route, you would see more go to school. You would also see more go to school if the money coming out wasn't huge like it is today. If they stop paying out huge bonuses until the kids make it to the NBA or make it somehow provisional (they get x amount immediately, and x amount one they get there) then the allure of going to the NBA straight out of school might not be so great.

 

I might not be right, but I think there is merit there..... Both baseball and football have 3-year restrictions, why should basketball be different??

[Palehosefan]

Football is 3 years minimum due to the physical nature of the game, high school players aren't physically ready to compete in the NFL. Alot of high school basketball players are. Who knows why the rule is in college baseball. But I can see your argument also, I think something will change this offseason that will dramatically effect college basketball. I'm hoping its an age rule of some kind, whether a minor league is put in place or not.