OT: Two-year requirement on NCAA players

[campybatman]

I don't think the player's union will agree on this.

NBA Commissioner David Stern and NCAA President Myles Brand, who have been working together on issues affecting basketball at all levels, will hold a joint news conference today. Brand asked Stern during a recent issues panel conducted by CBS whether he thought it would be better if players stayed in college two years. Stern agreed, but said NBA players would have to agree to it because it is a collective-bargaining issue. Brand also addressed "one and done" players at an NCAA news conference Thursday. "We think it's better that they stay two years," Brand said. "In fact, I would prefer they stay at least three and maybe four. That would be my preference. "But there is conversation going on about staying an extra year." Los Angeles Times

[The_Pope]

Stupid idea. You think someone like Durant couldn't earn like $10 million playing those 2 years in Europe?

[DorfonCeltics]

It's a great idea and I think it will pass. These are going to be current players voting on this issue and it doesn't really negatively affect them to have players stay another year in college. Why would they vote against it? It will definitely make the league better and will make NCAA better. Does anyone know if ammendments to the CBA can be made or if they have to wait until 2011 when the current CBA expires?

[The_Pope]

If you don't think that some of the best American high school players will start going to Europe when this is passed, then you're crazy.

NCAA should only approve this if they're happy to miss out on the Beasleys & Durants of the world.

[bruno sundov]

this would be a huge mistake for the NCAA. These kids who are legite one and done players will eventually end up in the NBA. Why bother with risking the extra year of getting hurt when you could do the same thing in Europe and get paid? That is a bad idea.

I remember Stern wanted a 2 year limit for NCAA players. The players assoc shot it down. Said something to the affect of it weakened them by not getting the marquee players right away.

[ParticleMan]

If you don't think that some of the best American high school players will start going to Europe when this is passed, then you're crazy.

NCAA should only approve this if they're happy to miss out on the Beasleys & Durants of the world.

LOL please, that's nuts.

kids from backwater, USA aren't going to suddenly go to europe, when this will severely limit their NBA options, and they can get job training in college and stay on track for the NBA.

[Datruth345]

i'm a fan

[The_Pope]

-= original quote snipped =-



LOL please, that's nuts.

kids from backwater, USA aren't going to suddenly go to europe, when this will severely limit their NBA options, and they can get job training in college and stay on track for the NBA.

Firstly, it wouldn't affect their NBA options in any way. Secondly, kids from poor backgrounds could make big money from salary and endorsements straight out of high scool.

If I'm Michael Beasley why do I waste my time going to Kansas when I can easily make $10 million+ over a few years in a big European city? I heard that some players already considered doing that when the current age limit was imposed, if it was extended to 2 years then it's an absolute guarantee that it would start happening.

[campybatman]

The NBA would prefer to have more players that are mature and more polished entering the draft. Or maybe that opinion is more from fans in general than the league. Whereas, I suspect the NCAA could only benefit more financially if their star players stayed in school. Those schools get a boost financially as well. I believe it's all about money and corporate sponsorship and what have you. Stern desires to improve the product but should decrease the number of franchises in the league, in my opinion. If anyone really cared about these young players then they could create a farm system or something of that idea so under class men can get drafted, earn a salary and develop the fundamentals of the game (dribbling, passing, shooting mechanics or technique, free throw shooting, foot speed and lateral movement on defense and instilling the concepts of team work and unselfish play) they're lacking to improve their skills overall if that franchise should feel that they aren't ready. No more brief stints in the NBDL. That is, allow teams the option to leave them there for an entire season if the head coach, staff and GM feel it necessary for their investment.

Unfortunately, the NCAA and NBA are both a business entity or enterprise. Everything is more about marketing and pursuing avenues that could prove advantageous to NCAA and not so much the players. You sell the product on TV and they'll watch it or buy it or into it. Brand marketing, school logo, apparel... Everything. The cash cow.

As for the two-year requirement thing. Shrug. How many times will an age imposed requirement change? Next it'll be a three-year requirement and then the ultimate goal will someday be achieved. Everyone remains in school for four years which is more wishful thinking then a future reality. In a way, the union could benefits from this rule change as more veterans will have jobs if collegiate players are still in school at least one more year.

[FakeScreenName123]

It would sure make the NCAA Tourney alot more intresting than it was this year.

[Zin5]

I'm a fan of the one year requirement, but not two years. The one year gives at least a decent bridge to the NBA from high school, but any more than that and it's going to start limiting the future superstars of the NBA in guys like Oden, Durant, Beasley and Rose. Some are making the mistake of leaving after one year, but that's their choice and they'll deal with the consequences.

Guys like Beasley and Rose this year have basically accomplished everything they'll ever need or want to in the NCAA (minus a championship which Rose can likely get and a POY honor which Beasley was already nearly split on). They're both NBA ready and just getting free passes in college in terms of playing time and playing against much weaker competition is going to possibly make them pick up some bad habits. Even if 20 guys come out a year too early, why should the NBA care? It'd delay the time it takes for the legit superstars to get into the league, who are going to be the best money producers for the NBA anyways.

I know it wouldn't be instituted in time for this draft, but there's going to be more prospects like these to come.

[bruno sundov]

Thank you. Stern you want a better prouct do like flip flop said and buy back memphis,mil,LAC and minniesoda. That would be a good start. Christ maybe you would have a better product to sell and would get more tv revenues from it. This would also make it harder for players to break into the league. Therefore creating more time spent in college.

I would love to know how many 100,000,000's of $ the NCAA makes every year. About 15 years ago they made $160,000,000. That is a lot of zeroes.

[Scalamental]

I like it. The one and done year of college thing is weak. If they go to Europe, fine.

[ParticleMan]

I actually don't care much either way, I like the 1 yr rule but making it 2 yrs doesn't make a big difference imo. I don't think it actually affects revenues much- there will be 1 year where the NBA will have to wait for its superstar but after that it will be just like before. These superstar kids WILL end up in the NBA.

I still don't see this whole Europe exodus idea having any legs at all. Kids could do the same thing now for 1 year, and NOBODY of any importance has done it. The fact is college is great job training. It prepares you for the NBA a lot better than sitting on the bench of some professional team in Europe (and Europe is a LOT more about seniority than talent in terms of PT). You might see 1 or 2 kids jump to Europe, but it's not going to be very common at all.

How many kids see their stock skyrocket with a strong NCAA performance? That's because it's on TV, on ESPN for an entire month. Kids aren't going to give up that chance to hit it big in the NBA just to make some extra money toiling in obscurity in Europe. How many Euroleague games are shown on ESPN? Hardly any. And let's face it, it's not like the star players in college are going hungry, they are "taken care of", if you know what i mean.

[BrokenLeftyJumper]

I still don't see this whole Europe exodus idea having any legs at all. Kids could do the same thing now for 1 year, and NOBODY of any importance has done it. The fact is college is great job training. It prepares you for the NBA a lot better than sitting on the bench of some professional team in Europe (and Europe is a LOT more about seniority than talent in terms of PT). You might see 1 or 2 kids jump to Europe, but it's not going to be very common at all.

How many kids see their stock skyrocket with a strong NCAA performance? That's because it's on TV, on ESPN for an entire month. Kids aren't going to give up that chance to hit it big in the NBA just to make some extra money toiling in obscurity in Europe. How many Euroleague games are shown on ESPN? Hardly any. And let's face it, it's not like the star players in college are going hungry, they are "taken care of", if you know what i mean.

This is right on point. The argument that a bunch of guys are gonna run off to the money in Europe is flawed for a number of reasons. First off, the European teams, well the ones that would offer any significant chunk of change, are WAY better than your average NCAA D1 team. Guys like Beasley, Mayo, Rose, etc. aren't necessarily gonna get burn on those teams like they are guaranteed in college. Secondly, the style of play is much different. You have NBA all-stars who have trouble adjusting to the international game, does anyone really think 17 year olds who have grown up playing streetball AAU would have an easy adjustment to the structured, team oriented style of European bball? No way. These guys would be rocking the bench. And thats gonna kill their draft stock. So while they might be making some money on the side, they are in essence losing money because they are hurting their stock in the draft, where the big money will come into play.

For the sake of the NBA and the NCAAs making dough, I think the two year limit is clearly a good thing. That is clearly why they do this. The NBA gets free marketing, the draft generates a lot more excitement, and players come into the league with recognizable names and faces. Also, the crotchety old white guy, who the NBA has totally lost, will be more likely to tune in because nothing has turned them off more than the fact that young black guys with tattoos and no college experience are making serious bank. The NCAA gets increased revenue because people who love the NBA watch the NCAAs because of the future NBA talents. Fans of college basketball have more interest in watching the NBA, fans of the NBA have interest in watching the NCAAs.

BUT whether this is better for the actual basketball is a whole other story. Nobody can get me to believe that playing less basketball (college) makes someone a better player than playing basketball as your job (pros). Players develop so much faster in the NBA, both in terms of physical ability and skills and in terms of mental understanding of the game. There is pretty much no doubt in my mind that guys like Rose, Beasley, Love, etc. would be better players right now had they gone to the NBA out of highschool, even if they rode the pine most of the time.

[GuyClinch]

The NBA is pushing their luck. It's certainly is profitable for BOTH the NBA (as they will get fewer bad players) and clearly the NCAA (who gets better players for a longer period) but its not a huge plus for the PLAYERS who run a higher risk of missing out on a large pay day in the NBA.

I am not a legal expert but there has to be some limit to how many qualified people you can exempt from your company just because of age.

Pete

[Spin Move]

I like the idea, the nba gets better players, more prima donna's get weeded out, more skilled NCAA players, more skilled NBA players, its good for the nba becuase players develop a repuatation before they enter the league, marketing wise this is really good. It is good for basketball fans becuase there will be fewer busts, if someone performed at a super high level in college for 2 years they will very likley be at least an nba starter, where several years ago we saw guys like Kwame brown come out and be real busts, should fans of NBA teams have to wait on players like Chandler and Curry, I believe their development would have occured much faster had they spent some time in school, 2 years means you have to pass clases, stay out of trouble and coexist with a coach for a real period of time, for people not capable of doing those things let their draft stock fall as it should, their attitude problems and or lack of intellegence will at least be known by NBA scouts at that point. Is it good for the players some yes some no its good for the best players who actually perform, its bad for really hyped players who then have to live up to that hype. Your talking about the one and done thing negativly affecting less then 10 players a year in the short term, its impossible to tell the long term implications, if bieng in the NCAA makes them better players they will make more money in the long run.


One big thing alot of players lack coming out of HS is maturity, college makes you grow up some, I think this will lead to less crime by nba players and better wealth managment, if you took an accounting or finance class in college your alot less likley to blow all your money on strippers and cars if you realize how you money could be working for you.

I am all for it, lets have men in the NBA not boys.

[TheSheriff]

The players' association doesn't care because college players aren't members of the union until after they are drafted.

[freakon0mics]

I'm all up for this. I think the players association wouldn't mind having kids stay an extra year in college. I mean, this is college we're talking about. Having them stay longer in college will only help kids coming out.

[Celts17Pride]

This is a great idea and should have been done sooner. For every Kobe Bryant and KG there are dozens of like Gerald Green, Telfair, Robert Swift, Dorell Wright etc. that if they had 2 years of college might have a better chance in the pros. Go learn the game for a few years.