Don't you just love it when the politicians put their noses where they don't belong, knowing they'll probably screw up things?The NBA has been defending its age-requirement rule -- a good rule that would be even better if another year was added -- after Congressman Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) strongly urged the league to scrap it.
The fact that the rule was collectively bargained five years ago doesn't seem to matter to Cohen. Nor does it matter that it's good for the league, good for the fans who watch the league, and good for players currently in the league.
It's a win-win rule, yet Cohen said he will consider congressional hearings and legislation if the requirement isn't dropped from the next CBA.
It's not hard to figure out what was in the letter. It's just common sense, something Congress has struggled with for years when it intervenes in matters where it doesn't belong.
Instead of letting players come directly from high school -- which was stopped after the 2004 Draft -- the league now requires both a year out of high school and a 19-year-old minimum age requirement before a player can be drafted.
It means a little less baby-sitting that the NBA coaches must do. It means players will come with a little more maturity, and a little higher skill level if they attend college or play overseas or in the Development League for a year. It means a better product.
Yes, the best players in the league today -- Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, etc. -- came directly from high school, but if you remember, three of those four weren't much fun to watch that first season because their fundamentals were poor. It would have been better to have them learning the game at Kentucky, North Carolina or Duke.
James doesn't count in this argument because he's a once-in-a-lifetime athlete. He was great from the start. The lack of an age limit worked fine for a number of guys, but it hurt the quality of basketball. It produced too many mistakes, either players who could have benefited from a year or two or three in school, or teams that would have benefited from another year evaluating the skill level.
The fact is that the league executives haven't made as many mistakes evaluating talent since the rule took effect in 2005.
If there was an age limit, Kwame Brown (No. 1 in 2001), Darius Miles (No. 3 in 2000) and Darko Milicic (No. 2 in 2003) would not be considered such disasters because their flaws would have been exposed before they got to the NBA. They would not have been taken in spots so high.
Although the NBA Players Association will act like it wants the age-limit eliminated when negotiations begin, that's only to bargain something else in return. Even it knows the idea is a good one. Raising the age to 20 would be even better.
Too bad a politician can't figure it out.
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Or perhaps they should implement a rule for journalists stating that "journalists over 40 should no longer be able to write because they are SO out of touch with everything and write ridiculous opinions and articles...like the above"
The are no more journalists left only news readers and writers. Those under 40 are just talking heads.
There are players who are 30 and not yet mature enough to play in the NBA. That in and of itself negates a lot of this post.
Going to college doesn't necessarily help those things. College, for athletes who only have to go for one year, is more likely to enforce or reinforce bad habits, partying, drinking, laziness. How many of the freshmen drafted in this year's draft had excellent grades in school? How many of them even went to class? I'd love to see those numbers. At least then we could have proof outside of pure hypothetical conjecture. It's a nice idea. Go to college and mature. But the reality is that a lot of the most successful people in any field, didn't graduate college: Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, STeven Spielberg, etc.
Enforcing an age limit on athletes, entertainers really, is ridiculous. Especially considering that a lot of these athletes are forced to go to a college that then turns around and makes millions of dollars off of them, while only giving them a $25,000 scholarship. How many "scandals" have we heard of where these kids get offered cars, houses for their parents, money, etc. by alumni and boosters?
Being tempted by these things and being forced to not take them (or, taking them ilegally) only makes you want to spend even more once you do have the money.
Life experience doesn't necessarily make you better at putting the ball in the hoop or passing to teammates. If the NBA is worried about their incoming players, they should take even further measures to make sure that their young players succeed. Life coaches, curfews, money advisers who aren't trying to screw them over.
An age limit is un-American to the point of absurdity. How can we send an 18-year old off to a distant country to kill people, and then tell another 18-year-old, no, you're not ready to make a lot of money playing a game?
Again, the argument is ridiculous.
Thanks for saving me the time to respond to the ridiculous position. I absolutely agree. If we can allow 18 year olds to go to war and be killed why can't they "PLAY A GAME". Lest we forget that this is what it is. Thanks again.
Yemi
The NBA is a business, so I feel like they have the right to do whatever they want to ensure that their product is a profitable as possible. I agree that the rule is good for the league and it's fans.
However, consider that our country allows kids as young as 17 to enlist in the military and die for their country.
The country obviously collectively believes that that isn't too much responsibility for a 17 year old, or else it wouldn't be allowed to happen.
With that being said, how could those same people argue that being allowed to play basketball for a living is something that a legal adult should be prevented from doing?
I feel bad that these young men are told that they have to wait a year to be allowed to make a living (and pull their families out of possible poverty or do whatever else it is that they want to do).
For all of those reasons, I would repeal the rule if it were up to me.
Wow, lots of holes in your argument.
(a) Why do you think players would be better if they went to college? The NBA teams are multi-million dollar organizations that pay top dollar to develop talent and have huge coaching staffs. Also, as you say, all the best players in the league skipped college. So apparently, Kentucky and UNC is not the best place to develop your game. Also, going to school full-fime (supposedly) takes a big chunk of your day. Professional basketball players do not have to waste their time in geology class.
(b) Players would just go to Europe and STAY. Europe is already competing for NBA players. Just imagine, the next LeBron goes to Greece for 2 years and gets paid $5 mil per year. Then, he is offered market rate in Europe ($25 million??) versus whatever the NBA rookie salary scale is ($4 million for the top pick or so). You think he's coming back?
(c) The NBA game does not suffer. If a player is good enough to play, he plays. If he is a bust, he does not. Darko did not hurt the league because he did not play. LeBron and Howard improved the quality of the game. Also, some of the biggest busts were 3 or 4 year NCAA players (see Olawakandi, Shelden Williams, Redick, Morrison). Darius Miles was not even really a bust and would have still been drafted high after a year.
(d) The NBA is just being greedy. They want to have a free minor league system at the expense of the players. The NCAA is a multi-billion dollar business that does not pay their most valuable asset. Funny thing is, it is not even good for the college game. One and done players are bad for the game and having people who do not want to be there attending some of the best institutions in America is a joke.
wow really ok then the NFL should revoke their age requirment because they have top coaching talent. Nope. This is a mans game I think the NBA should raise the requirement to 21 because if you go and look at lebron, kobe, jermaine o neal, KG and the great list of nbaers that came from high school it took them 4 yrs to really devolop into something anyways and while they are devoloping why not get an education. People shouldnt be so stupid to skip college for quick money. Education is the key.
you tell em astrap820... cuz the above cant see that.
I absolutely agree. For the NFL, you have to be removed from high school for 3 years. Make it the same for all professional sports.
astrap820,
It did not take Lebron four years to develop. He was producing the minute he touched down in the NBA. Lebron dropped 25 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds in his first game. Kobe, Jermaine and McGrady were forced to sit and not allowed the freedom to play right away because they had veterans in front of them. Once they were given playing time, all three blew up almost immediately. KG put up respectable numbers his first season and continued to get better every year until he was putting up 24, 14 and 5. The beauty of school is that it will always be there. People in my graduate class are 40, 50, 60 years old. Nobody has ever made the NBA when they were 40, let alone older than that. Sports are for young people to play, one of the one areas that youth defintely can hold an advantage in the working world. Why are we handicapping that?
instant35,
right on with all of ur points, but I'm most intrigued by point C. Going to college for all four years is almost a detriment to players now. Can't think of the last superstar that stayed all four years in college.
look - if an eighteen year old is an adult (excluding alcohol, which is a whole 'nother issue), there is no valid reason to prevent them from receiving a ridiculous amount of money for what someone thinks they are worth
whether that makes sense is irrelevant
let's not extend socialism to the field of professional sports, especially the nba
Someone should tell this misfguided tool that there is more important work he should be sticking his nose into-such as fixing the health care system and the economy. No one wants Congress involved in a trivial issue like this.
Seriously, is this where you want a public servant to be spending his time and money?
We have trillion dollar debt, a president who wants to put us deeper in debt and this asshole is worried about a sport. This is why we have to vote these idiots out every election until they remember that we are the government.
I don't care...I don't watch the NBA anymore. Tattoo's...dredlock's, gold teeth, and "thuggery" don't do much for me.
Oh, so you're a racist. That's just great for you then isn't it.
The best way to keep high school athletes from "going pro" when graduating is the not give the multi-million dollar contracts to untested talent. This applies to all sports. Why should the first round draft choice in any sport get a $50 million dollar contract and they have never stepped on the field/court. Take away the chance for "quick guaranteed" money and a high schooler may decide college is the place to develope their talent. The real world has entry level wages and you earn your way to the top.
Why do you think Kevin Garnett has made close to $90 million more dollars than Tim Duncan when they are less than 1 month apart in age?? Also if a 17 year old high school student creates an amazing computer program and Apple of Microsoft offers him or her a job making millions would anyone think they should skip that job and go to college instead? Is there an age limit in pro hockey or baseball? As soon as someone can show me all the lives that have been ruined by letting these kids go to the NBA early I'll be for an age limit until then I'll think it's all about money and race.
College, college, college, what an over blown concept. College is nothing but a BUSINESS. You think any college cares, at all, if you show up for class??? Please, they get your $$$ and then move on. The only time a college cares is if they do become stars and then they hound you for $$$ to give to the college. Most of the best minds that have ever lived did NOT go to college. Four years of the average person going in to DEBT, that's college. How many of your college people actually even work in what they got there degree in?? About 10%. College, party time, booze, women, chit, I got all that and more and never even thought of going to college, of course, we did not have the money to go. Yes, graduate, then have 6 years of paying off some loan that most went on booze and pizza, oh yes, college is such the way to go.
Jordan went to college, Shaq went to college, Magic, Bird, Wade they all went to college. The best players most of them went to college. Look at the list of All-stars, minus the few (Kobe, Lebron, Garnett and Howard).
DON'T LEAVE OUT THE CHOCOLATE THUNDER THE GREAT DARRYL DAWKINS!