thank god. in the words of Sir Charles "These damn highschool kids are ruining our game!".........college ball will get better and the NBA will get better....and maybe the NBDL too


Age before beauty

Marty Burns, SI.com


The NBA's Romper Room could soon be closing down. The league and its players seem to be nearing agreement on a minimum age limit of 20, which could go into effect as soon as next season. The exact terms still have to be negotiated as part of the upcoming new labor agreement, but the consensus around the league is that it will get done.

"It's going to happen," agent Bill Duffy said. "There appears to be enough bilateral support now."

Concerned about the flood of high school and college underclassmen flowing into the pro ranks in recent years, NBA commissioner David Stern has long supported a minimum age limit of 20. However, the league could not unilaterally impose the restriction; it had to be part of the labor agreement, and the players association was always opposed.

But now there seems to be a feeling among many players that maybe it's not such a bad idea. For one, the old guard is losing jobs to the teen brigade. For another, the youngsters in too many cases just aren't ready to play. "I don't look at [an age limit] as a bad thing," Sonics guard Ray Allen said at last month's All-Star weekend. "I think we're helping out younger guys, not hurting them."

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The shift in position by many players in itself doesn't guarantee a deal will get done. The players association continues to view an age limit as a concession, one that will have to be negotiated over the bargaining table. In other words, the NBA might have to give up something to get it done. But if Stern wants it bad enough, he should be able to make it happen.

Meanwhile, mere talk of a limit could lead to an onslaught of high school kids or college frosh into this year's draft. Last year 13 high school kids declared (four withdrew), and some believe even more could declare this year as kids who don't want to go to college try to beat the impending deadline. "I think some are going to look at it more closely now," Duffy said.

The following players would have had to wait

Garnett
James
Carmelo
J. O'Neal
Josh Smith
A. Stoudamire.

I dont know. The college kids are just as likely to be busts as the high school kids.

this is as ridiculous as the NFL's rule. If the kids aren't ready, it's simple, don't draft them.

True. It's an elitism thing.

see here's my way of thinking.....

ill use Josh Smith as an example.....it wouldve been much more fun to watch Josh Smith's rookie year had he had 1 year of college experience. he'd wouldnt struggle as much. why should fans pay to see an 18 year old learn from his mistakes?

they shouldn't, so don't go to the games.

Josh Smith is the WORST example.. Why? because he is all atlanta fans have to go watch.

bad idea

Ridiculous idea.
If they want players to have to be 20 years old before entering the NBA they had damned well better truly commit to the NBDL. Josh Smith spending 1 year at Georgia Tech or Maryland does nothing but hurt that college's program.

I agree on the NBDL. It would be a great great thing to have a real minor league system, like baseball...
It would allow young players to develop
Young Picks to stay on rosters, that need time.
keep talented, but raw players from jumping to europe.
put a greater emphises on the draft past the first 7 picks.

The way i see it is you could have 3 teams share a NBDL team, each assigning 4 players to the team, and centrally locate it. Like the Columbus Pistons/Cavs/Pacers.. And you could call up players when there are injuries, and extra players could get some PT instead of faking injuries. Injured players could rehab for a couple games before coming back. Of course rules would need to be put into place regarding veterans and such.. but i think it would be really cool.

The age limit is a great idea. For every Carmelo Anthony out there, there are 10 high school kids drafted that never make it because they were just too young and inexperienced to make it in the NBA.

The perfect example for somebody to mature in college is somebody like Kenyon Martin. He was terrible his first two years in college. He worked on his game while in college and at the end of his senior year in college he was college basketball's player of the year and is having a good pro career.

i agree with everything u typed. let the highschoolers learn the fundamentals in college or the minor leagues.

name ten high school failures.
leon smith (who never could have even gone to college- or would have raped girls in the dorms if he did)
Korleone Young.
Im sure there are a couple more, but honestly, in basketball- you either got it- or you dont.

How does Kenyon Martin illustrate your point at all? he wouldnt have even considered going straight from high school, because HE WASNT GOOD ENOUGH. Lots of players arent good enough to go straight to the pros--- but a lot are.

Why should the talented be held back because of the delusional?

good point bro

And do you think these players would have been worse off if they had gone to college? There are many players who came out right from high school or left college too soon that didn't meet their potential. They are just easily forgotten.

part of me says, if youre willing to take the chance, you should be allowed to, but the other part says there are more kids who need a year or two of college before the pro's and still the other part of me is thinking about a subway steak sandwich

Don't forget Kwame Brown or Tyson Chandler

Plenty of college seniors come into the NBA and suck as well. Ed O'Bannon anyone? Bo Kimble?
Collegiate success has nothing to do with NBA success either. This is a stupid move by the NBA and they don't make many stupid moves.

i love the way you think