Draftees Age Limit: Break Our Dreams?

[DavidLin]

Is it good to set a limit to draftees' ages?
since mr. stern annouced that, a lot of young guys with potential from highschool must delay their step to the nba.
so this year's nba draft, we see a lot of college guys, but we lost something fun-now we can only see potential in freshman and sophomore,but not high school students.so dominant genius GRED ODEN had to go to the gate of Ohio St., not madison square garden. he's got great athlecticism, good body shape, and of course, good potential.
also, young guys from all over the world have been blocked out of the gate of MSG.yeah that keeps newbies in good quality, but most rookies just have good abilities but limited potential.they may join the league, give us great plays, but we cant hope they make progress in 10 years.for high school students, that's different. they may grow up in our expectations, and can stay longer in nba.
so do you think it's right to keep under 19s out of nba?
please vote or post your reasonable age limit.

finally i will say"don't hurt me-a underage student again", please dont use abusive words to me, and face my mistakes objectively and give me suggestions ok?

[Fenix]

I think the bar should be set even higher, to the age of 20 (2 years since HS graduation). Greg Oden isn't as dominant as you think, these and similar opinions are just products of the media hype and that is one of the main reasons for why the level of play is lower than it was 10, 15 years ago. The only HS player that was trully ready to come and contribute on this level was LBJ, all others didn't do jack in their first year/s. College gives them better fundamentals, it prepares them better for the NBA, it gives them time to psychically and mentally mature and it helps the scouts to seperate busts from gems. That means we'll have less Kwames, JR Smiths, Dorell Wrights and more Chris Tafts, players that will show their true value at the college level. And who knows, perhaps all this will once again lead to the change of rules, so the basketball will once again become a game of men and defense will become legal again.

[DavidLin]

I agree with you in some ways...
but i think...the joining of high school students might make the draft more "dramatic", yeah?

[[L3]1101]

you want the age limit to be lowered back to 18 just because you want draft night more "dramatic"?

My opinion is that since the rule has been set, why not go to college? there is no harm in going to college. For those people who are saying they might get injured during their time in college...... if the player is gonna get injured in college, there is a high change he'll also get injured in the NBA. It's one of those things. These guys have been playing ball all their lives, and they haven't gotten an serious injury, so a couple more years won't hurt.

[Fenix]

You'd pick a 'dramatic draft' over overall quality of basketball? Odens and Mayos can wait, it's not like they're going anywhere. And if they get hurt or they just plain suck, then it's better that they do it in college. Having a higher age limit is just a smart decision to improve the NBA. I'd take that over your 'dramatic draft' anytime.

[DavidLin]

another opinion-jermaine o'neal said it was "racism",that's true.
most high school players are african american, some of them are poor, cannot afford the fees to the college.so some of the talented players cannot go to nba earlily to earn money, but have to stay in the slums...that's a pity, isn't it?

[J@3]

It's got nothing to do with racism, Jermaine O'Neal is an idiot if that's what he said (which I'm doubting).

[DavidLin]

It's got nothing to do with racism, Jermaine O'Neal is an idiot if that's what he said (which I'm doubting).

ok. but it is true that some poor but talented guys cannot get in, yeah?

[Fenix]

Rich white guys can't get in either, so what's your fucking point? NBA's concern should be raising level of play and getting the best players possible, not being a social welfare organization.

[CERVANTES]

I think players need to finish their degrees before going to the NBA, because something can go wrong and you may have to find a good job, you need that formation. And not only for money, but for intelectual formation. It also makes players more mature. People my age (18) it's too young and un-mature to play at PRO level. They also land in the NBA with a better phisical formation too.

[Matt]

Like Fenix said, NBA is about quality play. It's not a damn welfare agency.

Remember when Curry & Chandler were dominating HS as well? How did they turn out? Curry is perhaps the worst rebounder @ the C spot.

[DavidLin]

now i started to agree some of your opinions...
my opinions may just for ODEN...

[Andrew]

I wasn't too keen on the idea when I first heard about it because there have been people who have made the jump and found success and it seemed wrong to punish players who wanted to attempt it down the road just because some NBA execs took their infatuation with potential and finding the next KG/Kobe/T-Mac/LeBron too far. But at the same time with the influx of players who arrive in the NBA and are clearly ill-prepared perhaps it's for the best to at least try it for a few years; I remember someone suggesting recently that the policy be reviewed in a couple of years, I agree with that idea.

[3P]

The rule needs to stay, the quality stinks now, and that will help it. If you need to wait for a Lebron it is worth it, though I do wonder how dominant Lebron would be in college.

[DavidLin]

I wasn't too keen on the idea when I first heard about it because there have been people who have made the jump and found success and it seemed wrong to punish players who wanted to attempt it down the road just because some NBA execs took their infatuation with potential and finding the next KG/Kobe/T-Mac/LeBron too far. But at the same time with the influx of players who arrive in the NBA and are clearly ill-prepared perhaps it's for the best to at least try it for a few years; I remember someone suggesting recently that the policy be reviewed in a couple of years, I agree with that idea.

Yeah...fantastic comments,you are right...we have to wait, i think nba will make the right choice when those young guys from high school are good enough for nba.

[Its_asdf]

I love rooting for highschool players simply because they are normally drafted based on "potential" or have extremely strong athletic qualities.

I can understand why the NBA decided to raise the age limit, sometimes it can be frustrating trying to wait for an 18/19 year old to develop, sometimes they don't even develop at all. Like everyone already said before, the age limit prevents the watering down of drafts or players immediately jumping the gun too early and screwing themselves over. Besides, waiting for a player to attend at least one year of college isn't like they're being banished to there until the end of time. It's only one year and I think that most teams can afford to wait that long before taking a gamble on a player that most likely isn't NBA ready anyway.

[Null17]

It's got nothing to do with racism, Jermaine O'Neal is an idiot if that's what he said (which I'm doubting).

He really said which is why he should've gone to college. He wasn't exactly a great player when he came in the league. Besides, they get an athletic scholarship if they get on the varsity. They won't earn any money but it's not paying for college that's the problem.

Besides, are all black people poor? are are all poor people black?

[Jing]

I remember reading an article in SLAM years ago regarding high school ballers jumping to the NBA. It had a list of everyone who declared for the draft within a 4 or 5 year period, so it included all the drafted and undrafted. On the list, if I remember correctly, had a section that listed whether the player was eligible to go to college. On Rashard Lewis’, Jermaine O’Neal’s, it said not eligible due to grades and low SAT scores or such.

I personally agree with this age limit thing. If they want to come out right after high school/or need to, they can spend a year at the NBDL to improve their skills. But a year or two won’t matter for the team because they can draft players of similar caliber, but who are more matured and seasoned due to college.

[DavidLin]

Besides, are all black people poor? are are all poor people black?

sorry man, you had a misunderstanding...i said "some of",not "all"

[Indy]

Greg Oden isn't as dominant as you think

Oh really? You know this? I've watched Greg play plenty of times and he IS as dominant as I think. He IS NBA ready. I also guarentee you would have said the exact same thing about LeBron.

these and similar opinions are just products of the media hype and that is one of the main reasons for why the level of play is lower than it was 10, 15 years ago.

I disagree, the level of play right now is as high as its ever been.

The only HS player that was trully ready to come and contribute on this level was LBJ, all others didn't do jack in their first year/s.

And how many college rookies can come in and put up great numbers in their rookie year? Not very many. The rookie season is difficult no matter what level of ball you just got finished playing. Plus the fact that almost all Euro players struggle when the first come over. In fact ALL Euro players have struggled in their first season. Just because the transition is difficult for them should we make them all attend American colleges first?

College gives them better fundamentals, it prepares them better for the NBA, it gives them time to psychically and mentally mature and it helps the scouts to seperate busts from gems. That means we'll have less Kwames, JR Smiths, Dorell Wrights and more Chris Tafts, players that will show their true value at the college level. And who knows, perhaps all this will once again lead to the change of rules, so the basketball will once again become a game of men and defense will become legal again.

Really? Well, lets start by looking at every lottery picked high school player in the last 8 years.

Martell Webster- Too soon to tell, but promising.
Andrew Bynum- Promising
Dwight Howard- Top 15 player
Shaun Livingston- Extremely promising, plays major minutes for a contender.
Sebastian Telfair- Still finding his way, but good enough to play for any NBA team.
LeBron James- Superstar
Amare Stoudamire- Superstar
Kwame Brown- Bust only because he was picked so high, but still a starter in this league.
Tyson Chandler- Another guy considered bust because overpaid and picked so high, but still a great rebounder and defender, will be in this league for a long time.
Eddy Curry- Yet again, picked too high, but still a starter for more then half the teams in the league.
DeSagana Diop- Has found his niche with Dallas and plays valuable minutes for a contender.
Darius Miles- Again, only a bust because of the high expectations. Still a solid NBA player.
Jonathan Bender- Career over because of injury, not because of talent or NBA readiness.

Bender is the only guy picked out of high school in the lottery since 98 that isn't in the league anymore.

Now lets look at all of the lottery picks of the last 8 years who I think we would all agree are much more stupid picks then the high school guys just listed.

2004: Rafael Araujo, Luke Jackson- Ahead of Al Jefferson

2002: Jay Williams, Mike Dunleavey and Dajuan Wager- Ahead of Amare Stoudamire

2001: Rodney White, Kedrick Brown,

2000: Marcus Fizer, DeMarr Johnson, Jerome Moiso, Courtney Alexander and Mateen Cleaves- Ahead of DeShawn Stevenson.

1999: Trajan Langdon, Aleksandar Radojevic, William Avery.

[Fenix]

I remember reading an article in SLAM years ago regarding high school ballers jumping to the NBA. It had a list of everyone who declared for the draft within a 4 or 5 year period, so it included all the drafted and undrafted. On the list, if I remember correctly, had a section that listed whether the player was eligible to go to college. On Rashard Lewis’, Jermaine O’Neal’s, it said not eligible due to grades and low SAT scores or such.

I personally agree with this age limit thing. If they want to come out right after high school/or need to, they can spend a year at the NBDL to improve their skills. But a year or two won’t matter for the team because they can draft players of similar caliber, but who are more matured and seasoned due to college.

If a 18 year old isn't hard working and smart enough to get his ass eligible for college, he has no bussiness going to the NBA. And JO and Lewis are perfect examples of players who needed college to play and develop there. I can also make a pretty good case on why some great prep-to-pros players would be even better if they went to college (Kobe - maturity, leadership skills, Dwight Howard - post skills/footwork,...).

[maes]

I think the age is perfect as it is.

The LeBron and KG's of the world don't matter. Hall of Famers will dominate regardless. The age limit is really a question for borderline guys like Cisse.

The problem is that kids start out with a realistic assessment of their game, but then all these agents and leeches come out of the woodwork and tell the kid he's ready for the NBA because they want a share of his money. As impressionable as young kids are, it screws their life up.

If the kid is that dominant, he'll prove it in the NCAA for 1 year like Melo, or can just prove he belongs like Tyrus Thomas. The only downside is that guys like LeBron have to "suffer" in the NCAA for 1 year, but LeBron's are once in a generation guys.

The biggest downside is if you have the situation of a guy who should be in the NBA but he gets a career ending injury in college.

[DatYellowGuy]

I don't see why they raise the age. I mean you have guys like LBJ who come in out of high school and dominate the league. If a player thinks he's good enough to make it out of high school then it should be at their own risk. If you are a borderline player it should be your call and you should take the consequences when you get cut or whatever happens.

[Buckley]

LBJ is strictly ONE OF A KIND. You wont find many players like him. Have the players go to college, see what they can prove against tougher competition then whatever they faced in HS.

Felipe Lopez is a good example. If he went to the NBA right after HS, he wouldve been the #1 pick, but he would have been a complete bust. Then he went to college where people realized he wasnt as good as they thought, and he wasnt picked early.

[Fenix]

Greg Oden isn't as dominant as you think

Oh really? You know this? I've watched Greg play plenty of times and he IS as dominant as I think. He IS NBA ready. I also guarentee you would have said the exact same thing about LeBron.

You're right, I only saw Oden at McDonalds game, BUT: he has still ways to go on the offensive end, his body is still growing outwards. He is nowhere near being a finished product and is less NBA ready than someone like Dwight Howard (who should have went to college, IMO).

And how many college rookies can come in and put up great numbers in their rookie year? Not very many. The rookie season is difficult no matter what level of ball you just got finished playing. Plus the fact that almost all Euro players struggle when the first come over. In fact ALL Euro players have struggled in their first season. Just because the transition is difficult for them should we make them all attend American colleges first?

That logic is flawed on many levels. First of all, if someone like Bynum struggles at UConn, he'll still be getting 20+ minutes per game and have the entire coaching staff focusing on him. If he struggles in the NBA, he won't play and he'll lift weigths and have Jabbar working with him on post moves which he won't be able to test until SL games. I think the first scenario is much better for development of young players, don't you think? And Euros who struggled in their first seasons in the NBA never played top notch Euro ball. Sure, you can say Sarunas did, he was a top player here, but he has problems because of his psychical makeup, not because he isn't mature enough or he still has to hone his skills. It's vice versa for most prep-to-pros HS players.

Really? Well, lets start by looking at every lottery picked high school player in the last 8 years.

Martell Webster- Too soon to tell, but promising.
Andrew Bynum- Promising
Dwight Howard- Top 15 player
Shaun Livingston- Extremely promising, plays major minutes for a contender.
Sebastian Telfair- Still finding his way, but good enough to play for any NBA team.
LeBron James- Superstar
Amare Stoudamire- Superstar
Kwame Brown- Bust only because he was picked so high, but still a starter in this league.
Tyson Chandler- Another guy considered bust because overpaid and picked so high, but still a great rebounder and defender, will be in this league for a long time.
Eddy Curry- Yet again, picked too high, but still a starter for more then half the teams in the league.
DeSagana Diop- Has found his niche with Dallas and plays valuable minutes for a contender.
Darius Miles- Again, only a bust because of the high expectations. Still a solid NBA player.
Jonathan Bender- Career over because of injury, not because of talent or NBA readiness.

Bender is the only guy picked out of high school in the lottery since 98 that isn't in the league anymore.

You named 13 players. Only Amare, Lebron and possibly DH12 have lived up to their potential, although I still think Howard would be better off going to school and getting some post skills. Others are either injury prone (Shaun Livingston, Jonathan Bender), malcotents (Darius Miles), underachievers (Kwame, Curry, Chandler) or haven't done shit in this League. So what's your point exactly?

Now lets look at all of the lottery picks of the last 8 years who I think we would all agree are much more stupid picks then the high school guys just listed.

2004: Rafael Araujo, Luke Jackson- Ahead of Al Jefferson

2002: Jay Williams, Mike Dunleavey and Dajuan Wager- Ahead of Amare Stoudamire

2001: Rodney White, Kedrick Brown,

2000: Marcus Fizer, DeMarr Johnson, Jerome Moiso, Courtney Alexander and Mateen Cleaves- Ahead of DeShawn Stevenson.

1999: Trajan Langdon, Aleksandar Radojevic, William Avery.

So your point is that every draft has busts? I can also name tons of college players who should go ahead of Curry, Chandler and Kwame (namely Gilbert Arenas, Joe Johnson, Richard Jefferson, Pau Gasol,...). You see - flawed logic.