Age Is More Than Just A Number

Newly appointed NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated in his first press conference that he would like to see the minimum age requirement for entry into the NBA raised from 19 to 20.  Since 2006 the NBA has adopted a rule that early entrants for the NBA Draft had to be one year removed from their high school class and at least 19 years old.  With the influx of high school players since Kevin Garnett entered the NBA in 1995 out of high school the NBA has gotten younger.

As a fan of the game of basketball I am hoping that this rule is implemented.  The current system is not in the best interest of college or professional basketball.  Many of the “one and done” college basketball players plan on their college experience to be a pit stop.  They technically only have to pass minimum academic requirements their first semester to compete in the second semester.

The NBA has been dealing with an influx of young and immature players with words such as potential and upside always being tossed around.  Many NBA teams have Directors of Player Development on staff to assist players with life skills and dealing with the issues they will face on and off the court.

Bryce Harper, Alex Rodriguez, and Ken Griffey, Jr.

Unlike the other three major sports (baseball, hockey, and football) there are not minor leagues and rules in place to have a more developed player and person who enter the NBA.  Baseball prospects that are 18 years old and are drafted either go to the minor leagues and if they choose to attend college they have to stay for three years.

The minor leagues allow for development and players are called up to the main roster when the organization feels they are ready.  There have been only three phenoms the last 25 years who have been impactful as teenagers.  Kenny Griffey, Jr., (1989), Alex Rodriguez (1994), and Bryce Harper (2012).

Hockey prospects can be drafted at 18 as well, but they also have a minor league system in place and the NFL’s requirement is that prospects have to be three years removed from their high school class.

Basketball is a different animal.  Without a prominent minor league system in place and the success of players such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, Tracey McGrady and other straight out of high school stars and one year college players such as Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant there is a strong case to leave the rule as is.

The current systems has more college players after one season making a poor decision of entering the NBA Draft from social pressure and the hype machine that surrounds them.   Some early entrants regardless of class declare because they feel their stock can not increase by remaining in school. 

For example, last season University of Miami point guard Shane Larkin declared after his sophomore season.  Miami won the ACC and he was on a senior laden team.  If he remained at Miami with many of his teammates graduating his junior season potentially would not have been as good as his sophomore campaign.  At 5’10” his stock was as high as it was going to get.  He made a sound decision for his career to enter the draft.

This season four freshman players have been built up since they were in high school for the 2014 NBA Draft.  Jabari Parker (Duke), Andrew Wiggins (Kansas), Julius Randle (Kentucky), and Aaron Gordon (Arizona).  Parker and Randle appear to have polished games and bodies and are “NBA ready."  Parker's father Sonny is a former NBA player so it is not surprising the intangibles that Parker has at a young age.  Wiggins and Gordon appear to be very talented players that could use an additional season of development.

Parker, Wiggins, Gordon, and Randle

College coaches are not crazy about the current system, but have to work under it with the pressure to win games.  As soon as they recruit a player who most likely will stay only one season they are also recruiting their replacement.  Schools such as Duke and Kansas have recruited one player per class that potentially is a one year player where Kentucky on other hand recruits 4-6 players per season since John Calipari’s arrival in 2009.

Twenty-one other schools have had players drafted after one season since current eligibility rules went into effect in 2006. But none do it at the rate of Calipari's Kentucky teams.

Stanford athletics director Bob Bowsy stated in March 2012, “We're not here as a feeder system. We're here to educate young people, and that's what it ought to be about."  Gary Walters who has served on the NCAA Tournament Committee expressed similar concerns, “"I hold no grudge against the University of Kentucky or John Calipari. I have a number of acquaintances who are Kentucky officials, graduates, whatever. But the real question becomes: Is this the image we want to project? Is this really the image we want to project as an institution of higher education? I don't think so."

The benefit of increasing the age limit to 20 years old or two years removed from a player’s high school class benefit everyone involved.  As much as universities and student-athletes are criticized for how seriously they take their academics, the current system makes even a bigger mockery of it.

Jabari Parker and Mike Krzyzewski

Players will have two years to personally and professionally develop and if they take their academics seriously could be halfway or even more with summer school toward their degrees.    The NBA would have a more mature person entering their league.  Most of the current one and done prospects are at top-notch programs with excellent coaching and player development.

The AAU culture of basketball has hurt the game more than helped.  Players today have more individual trainers and coaching and from watching them play do not have the intangibles of playing the game with other people.  Reigning Rookie of the Year and All-Star MVP Kyrie Irving is only 21 years old.  He played 11 games one season at Duke due to injury.

Even with his great statistics watching him closely play with the Cleveland Cavaliers it is apparent he is still going through the transition of playing with other people.  Especially when he is on a roster that does not have top talent.  With very little college experience it has lengthened his learning curve in the NBA.

Coaches in college and the NBA have to adjust their systems and approaches because many young players do not have a “feel’ for the game.  The most recent NBA All-Star game had 11 players including injury replacement Anthony Davis that came straight out of high school or one year college players. 

Kobe Bryant was lowest draft pick at 13^th in 1996, with DeMarr DeRozan being the lowest draft pick at nine out of the players who participated.  These were drafted high because franchises had high expectations for them.

Every industry, including sports has to adjust to make rules that are in their best interest.    They either require a minimum age requirement, certification/education, years of experience, etc.  As the culture of basketball evolves early entry rules need to be adjusted for the best interest of the game.   Rules are not made for the exceptions, usually for the masses because it is best for business.