On the NBA's minimum-age requirement
Posted: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 8:37 PM
Filed Under:
NBA draft
Part of me is really, really fond of the NBA’s minimum-age requirement.
Is it wrong that it cheers me a little to have seen Kevin Durant and Kevin Love play college ball? Or Michael Beasley and Eric Gordon? Even if it was just one year for all those guys, it was better than seeing the likes of Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and LeBron James jump straight to the pros.
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Woulda been nice to see LeBron play in college.
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But I get the downside. The NBA’s one of the few professional leagues that doesn’t encourage its athletes to join its ranks ASAP. Players miss out on money, and some guys – who, let’s be honest, may not have any interest in college – are forced into an academic farce.
Baseball’s minor leagues are littered with guys fresh out of high school. Soccer, tennis, hockey all encourage players to spend their teenage years honing their game against the pros. So what’s the NBA’s deal?
Couple things. College coaches teach those young guys how to play (for the most part). They develop skills, and if they’re really good, enter the league with some name recognition. It’s a win-win for the NBA (better players who have cachet) and colleges (‘cause they never would’ve gotten those guys anyway).
Well, NBA commissioner David is toying with the idea of raising the minimum age requirement to 20. And author Buzz Bissinger thinks that’s foolish. In an Op-Ed N.Y. Times piece, he says the league should just get rid of the thing. TrueHoop’s Henry Abbott, among others, takes issue with a few of his points and doubts the age requirement will ever go away.
Here to stay or go away? Probably the former, which cheers me a little bit. Sorry guys. I’m selfish that way.
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