Friday, April 30, 2004

Mike DeCoursey's Solution for the NBA

An age limit - not original - but the catalyst might be Maurice Clarett (story here). We will see. It would be hard for the NBA to use the same arguement as the NFL - their bodies are not ready for the pro game - since the NBA has proven that many of these kids are physically ready. From the article:

It is true the past two rookies of the year, Amare Stoudemire and LeBron James, entered the league out of high school. But the NBA as a business and basketball as a sport cannot afford to sacrifice their future for the rare players who develop rapidly and the shoe companies that adore them.

Of 25 highly rated U.S. high school players who entered the draft since 1995, seven are out of the league and three spent all or most of this season hidden on the injured list. Six others, including five lottery picks, averaged fewer than a dozen points. Basically, two-thirds aren't cutting it. And the list of collegians who entered the draft early without sufficient experience to make a difference or make a team is even longer.