Players Should Have Freedom To Go Pro When Time is Right For Them

by Coach K
(NC)

If the NBA age limit centers around allowing these young men an opportunity to mature in college than the NBA should input programs to do just that. This is America and if a young man wants to skip college for the professional ranks, he should be allowed to do so. Spending 2 or 3 years does not guarantee you will be responsible in the NBA. If we are really concerned about these young men then implement programs to help with their transitioning.


As for the age limit helping the longevity of older players, this is a profession! As a fan I want to see the best product regardless of age. If you're good enough to make the team so be it. I always wonder why is basketball the only sport concerned about young men going to college. No other sport has rules debated on every year about guys leaving too early.

A good education does not guarantee financial success. (FYI,we're still in a recession and unemployment among blacks is the highest.) A rookies salary could pay for 4 yrs and grad school, yet we're saying delay that because you may or may not be responsible enough.

Any individual choosing to go pro should be able to do just that, whenever the time is right.

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Sep 23, 2013
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starstarstarstarstar 		RE: Players Should Have Freedom To Go Pro When Time is Right For Them
by: Dennis Berry

In a perfect world players would go straight to the NBA when they knew they were ready. Sadly, that is not the case. There are too many people who tell kids what they want to hear instead of telling them what they need to hear.

Were players like LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, and Amare Stoudemire ready for the NBA coming out of high school? Yes they were.

What about a player like Kwame Brown? Could he have used some time in college to work on his game? Yes he could.

There is one thing coach K is right about: just making the age limit higher does not mean that players will be ready for the NBA. Players like Adam Morrison and Marcus Fizer showed that playing in college for three to four years will not equal success either.

What an age limit increase will do is allow players to prepare more in college and develop their skills. They can mature on and off the court. This also allows players to get more education for their careers outside of basketball. This also allows GM’s and scouts more time to evaluate players and see them against players of similar talent.

If the NBA and the Players Union do not want to increase the age limit, then perhaps they can alter the entry policy to be more like the MLB. If a player wants to go straight to the NBA then they can. If they choose to go to college, then they should be committed to that school for at least three years.

This would be a solution that would make both sides happy.

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